Never Say Never
by Eilish03
Summary: A love story featuring Hermione, Draco and Ron.
1. Chapter 1

This is a love story that features Hermione, Ron and Draco; the latter turns to the good side. I started writing this story 5 years ago and I haven't finished it yet hehehe. In the very first part Hermione cries a lot, I did not mean it that way but at the time I was heart-broken myself and expressed my sadness through Hermione, eventually I thought of erasing the scenes but I like it that way, so.... Hermione might be sad at the beggining but promise it'll get happier. Hope you like it!

**NEVER SAY NEVER**

_**A Secret**_

Fifteen year old Hermione walked impatiently through King's Cross Station looking for her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley she couldn't wait to see them.

It had been in that very same station where she had last laid eyes upon them, just a few months ago, the three of them had been standing there wishing happy holidays to each other and agreeing to celebrate Harry's sixteen birthday, on July 31st, at the Burrow.

But Hermione had been unable to attend the party because she was in France with her parents, but she had made sure Harry knew she was thinking of him and sent him a letter explaining why she couldn't make it.

_Dear Harry:_

_HAPPY SIXTEEN BIRTHDAY!!!!! _

_I'm soooo sorry for not being there, but we're stuck in Paris, see, there was a huge storm, and the airport is closed. (I can see Ron's puzzled face. An airport is a place where planes take off and land. Ron must be asking you what a plane is. See Ron it's an electronic instrument used by muggles to fly from one place to another. Seriously Ron you should take Muggle Studies next year). Anyway, it will be reopened soon, but my dad says it won't be safe to fly until next week. So we'll stay here for five more days. _

_Viktor wrote and asked me to visit him in Bulgaria, and since I wasn't able to do it last year, well, I agreed. So I will probably not see you until, September 1st when we board the Hogwarts Express. _

_I hope you like your gift, it's a book "The World's Greatest Seekers" it has some lovely moving pictures. When I saw it standing on the bookshelf I thought "this is perfect for Harry"_

_I miss you guys……._

_Take care, and give my love to everyone. ._

_Hermione_

The unusually cold night before Hermione left for Bulgaria she was surprised to see Hedwig approach her window. It was carrying a letter from Harry with some unexpected news.

_Dear Hermione:_

_Don't worry for not being here, we completely understand. Say Hello to Viktor for me. I loved your gift, you're right about the pictures they are wonderful, specially the one of Viktor during his spectacular catch at the last Quidditch Cup, although Ron didn't like it to much. _

_There's also another reason why I'm writing to you, remember Parvati, well her father has been helping the Order a lot, so we've seen a lot of her and Padma lately, and well, I apologized for the way I treated her at the Yule Ball, yes I know a couple of years too late, but everything turned out fine and well, we decided to give it a try, a real one, so we hooked up. This might surprise you, but who knows, it might work. _

_We miss you too (especially Ron__, he needs someone to bicker with). Have fun in Bulgaria and we'll see you on September 1st._

_Love _

_Harry. _

And the day had finally come, it was September 1st and Hermione kept looking for Ron's bright red hair that generally distinguished him from the multitude, but the station was unusually crowded.

Hoping to see them in the platform nine and three quarters she crossed the barrier and faced a sea of students. She could tell that they were first years for the look of mingled fear and excitement in their faces. She loaded her belongings in the luggage compartment as fast as she could; she wanted to resume her search. She had just put her last bag in the compartment when she heard a familiar voice calling her name, Hermione turned and a broad smile appeared on her face, it was Ginny.

"Long time, no see" said Ginny happily.

"Yeah" said Hermione giving Ginny a hug.

"Where's everyone" said Hermione impatiently, when she released Ginny from her hug.

"Ron is helping the first years get settled" continued Ginny. Hermione eyes began looking for him. "and Harry?" asked Hermione "he is with Parvati somewhere" answered Ginny. In that moment Hermione's eyes quickly looked back at her.

"And you don't mind?" said Hermione not quite sure if she should ask that.

"Of course not" answered Ginny too quickly "He's happy and that's all that matters" said Ginny looking elsewhere but at Hermione "Plus I've moved on, I'm with Dean now and he makes me happy" said Ginny with a small smile.

Ginny's expression changed suddenly, she looked mortified. Hermione frowned slightly, she could feel it, something was wrong.

"I promised I wouldn't tell you this and… I'm not quite sure I should because Ron said he would tell you" Ginny paused; she was looking for the right words. Hermione gave her a deep look; she was trying to read her mind.

"Ron is…" began Ginny.

"Hermione" said another familiar voice; she turned and found Harry standing behind her.

"Hi" said Hermione with a smile on her face.

"Ginny was about to tell me something. You were saying…" Hermione turned back to Ginny.

"Nothing" said Ginny.

"Where is Ron?" asked Hermione to Harry, she was intrigued. What was Ginny going to tell her about Ron?

"He'll join us any second; he was just saying good-bye to…" Harry stopped at the sight of Ginny's threatening look.

"To…" said Hermione, encouraging Harry to continue.

"Look at the time" said Ginny "Let's board"

"But…" protested Hermione, but before she could continue Harry and Ginny were already boarding the express, Hermione's curiosity was quickly turning into despair.

Hermione boarded the Hogwarts Express hoping to see Ron; apparently there was something he had to tell her. But he couldn't see his bright red hair anywhere, instead she ran into the last person she wanted to see, Draco Malfoy.

"Bulgaria Death Eaters must not be doing there job right or _you_ wouldn't be here." said Draco pointing at her with the deepest disdain.

Hermione gave him a look of deep disgust and walked away. "Why is it that when I don't want to see people I ran directly into them, and when I'm looking for them, they are nowhere to be found" thought Hermione, as she walked toward the compartment where she knew Ginny and Harry had settled. She would make them tell her what was the big secret about.

Hermione opened the door and found Ginny and Harry talking quietly, they stopped when they saw her come in. She sat in front of them and looked right into their eyes.

"I've been looking for Ron but he's nowhere to be found, so you're going to tell what is going on." Hermione said firmly.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other. Then they looked back at her, they tried to open their mouths and say something but they were out of words.

"Don't you have a prefect meeting?" said Ginny trying to divert Hermione's attention, although she knew she wouldn't be able to. Hermione rolled her eyes in response; why was everyone so secretive with her.

"We wish we could tell you" said Harry

"But it's not for us to tell." continued Ginny.

"But why?" she said trying to sound calmed and failing at it. Silence was her response.

"Fine" said Hermione roughly. She stood up and in that very moment the door opened and Ron came in.

"Hi Hermione, I hadn't see you." said Ron casually. Hermione was mad by now, maybe a few minutes ago she would have been very happy to see him, but in that moment the last thing she wanted to do, was to see any of them, so she walked out of the compartment without saying a word, and shutting the door behind her.

She was about to start walking towards the compartment where she knew she had a prefect meeting in a few minutes, when she heard very loud voices inside the compartment and instead she decided to overhear, maybe in that way she would finally find out, what was everyone refusing to tell her.

"Where have you been?" said Harry sounding desperate.

"Hermione has been looking all over for you." said Ginny in a very sharp tone. "She knows that you have something to tell her"

"You could've told her" said Ron sounding unconcerned.

"No" said Ginny sounding more daunting than before "You didn't allow me to send her an owl telling her that you were…"

"Eavesdropping" said a very unpleasant voice behind Hermione. She was completely enraged by now, how could've the most obnoxious person interrupted her in the very moment that she was about to discover what they were hiding from her. She turned and faced a smiling Draco Malfoy.

"Mind..your..own..business" said Hermione sounding very mad.

"What… your friends aren't talking to you anymore?" said Draco mockingly. Draco could see Hermione gazing at him with the deepest hatred; he had never seen her so angry before, but for some strange reason he wasn't enjoying it as much as he was pretending to.

"I'm warning you Malfoy… stay out of this" said Hermione sounding more irritated than before.

"What are you going to do Perfect Prefect... jinx me?" continued Draco sarcastically, and was about to laugh when Hermione said "I might" with a dangerous look on her eyes, she was definitely loosing it. Draco fearfully saw how she was taking her hand into her pocket and taking out her wand. This was the first time he thought Hermione capable of anything.

In that moment the compartment's door opened and Ron, Harry and Ginny appeared. Draco tried to pull himself together and show no fear, because Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen and he had a fuming Hermione, and her three best friends staring at him threateningly.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" said Ron in a despise tone.

Hermione turned to face Ron, Harry and Ginny and found herself still angry at them, and not wanting to speak to them, so she walked out of there and headed to her prefect meeting, to which she was already late.

_**A Surprise**_

Hermione was surprised to see the Prefect Compartment almost empty the only people in there were Hannah Abbot and Ernie Mcmillan, Hufflepuff prefects, who were sitting in one end of a big table that was in the middle of the compartment chatting happily and Pansy Parkinson looking distractedly toward the wall on the other end of the table, and that was it, no one else was there. Of course she didn't expect to see Ron or Draco, she had left them behind her, bickering, but she couldn't see why Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil, Ravenclaw´s Prefects weren't there, and most important, why neither the Head Boy or Head Girl were there too.

She took a seat in the middle of the compartment and waited. Soon Ron and Draco entered the compartment. Ron took a seat beside her.

"What was Malfoy telling you?" asked Ron.

"Why, do you care?" snapped Hermione while she eyed him angrily.

"Of course I care, you're my friend" said Ron sounding a little despaired, but after all he couldn't blame Hermione for being mad at him.

Hermione was about to open her mouth when Katie Bell entered the compartment.

"I'm so sorry for being late" said Katie. "But we had an altercate with some fifth year students, the Head Boy and Ravenclaw´s prefects are taking care of it as we speak and that's why they won't be attending this meeting." Katie positioned herself in a way everyone could see her "I haven't introduced myself, I am Katie Bell, Gryffindor´s Seventh Year student, and new Head Girl" she finished proudly.

"Now the issues we will be discussing are…"

But Hermione could feel someone staring at her, she turned and saw Draco looking at her intently with a despise look on his face. She returned the scorn look, and was gazing at him when she remembered something he had told her.

"_Bulgaria Death Eaters must not be doing there job right or you wouldn't be here."_ But how had Draco known that she had been in Bulgaria, she had only told Harry and the Weasleys.

She broke her eye contact with him and focused her attention on Katie. But found it very difficult to concentrate, so she closed her eyes in an attempt to calm herself and refocus on the important thing, the meeting. She breathed deeply opened her eyes and felt more relaxed. She looked at Katie, and finally could pay attention to what she was saying.

"Don't forget to make your rounds, and when we arrive, you're the ones that have to make sure that first years don't get lost, remember they are you're responsibility" said Katie bossily. "I think that's everything. You may go" she finished.

Both Ron and Hermione stood up and left the compartment together but without saying a word. Hermione looked at him, she was no longer mad at him but she was still hurt, what was the big secret they were hiding from her? They walked in silence towards their compartment.

"Hermione" said Ron looking at her when they were halfway toward their compartment

"Yes" said Hermione trying not to sound anxious.

"Nothing" he said and stared at the floor. This happened three more times in their way to the compartment. But the big secret was soon to be revealed.

Ron opened the compartment door and both he and Hermione entered. She saw Ginny and Harry who was holding Parvati´s hand but this was not what surprised Hermione, what surprised her was to see Padma there. She didn't have to think too much, in a split second she had her answer.

"Ron" said Padma excited with her eyes glowing, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him and to Hermione's amazement Ron kissed her back. In a second she realized the thing that Ron was supposed to tell her.

She felt her heart smash into a million pieces, her cheeks were growing red and hot, she could feel tears fighting to fall down her face, but she resisted, she didn't want them to think she couldn't handle Ron being with Padma.

Ginny looked at Hermione, who for a second looked completely devastated, but managed to pull herself together and even smile weakly. But Ginny knew Hermione to well to know that she was feeling completely miserable, it was clear that she hadn't expect to see Ron and Padma kiss. Ginny gave her brother a look of deep anger, how had Ron let Hermione find out like this.

But Ron didn't see the suffering that he had caused Hermione because, in the moment Padma had released him from her kiss, he looked at his best friend who weakly smiled and sat down beside Harry who was also looking at Hermione expecting her to say something, but she didn't, instead she picked up a copy of _The Quibbler _that was beside her and began to read, or at least to pretend that she was.

"So, something interesting happened at the meeting" said Padma happily to Ron.

"No" said Ron quietly while he stared at the floor so he would avoid everyone's eyes "Katie just gave us some indications, that's all"

"Katie is the new Head Girl" continued Ron looking up to Padma.

"I know" said Padma cheerfully.

"I feel like having some Chocolate Frog" said Ron. He really felt like running out of there as fast as he could. "Let's go see if we can catch the food trolley"

"Sure" said Padma and they walked out, holding hands.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, they wished they could say something to comfort Hermione, but they didn't know what to say. There was an uncomfortable silence among them.

"So how was Bulgaria?" said Parvati suddenly, Hermione looked up, she tried to smile before she answered.

"It was okay, Viktor showed me some historical sites and I met some of the other players of The Bulgaria National Quidditch Team"

"Lucky you" interrupted Parvati excitedly. Hermione smirked.

"Yeah I attended one of the matches, it was a friendly one between Italy and Bulgaria, but of course Bulgaria won, Viktor made a spectacular catch." Hermione had a sad smile on her face. "The only bad thing was that it was very chilly, you know for being August"

"Yeah, it was pretty cold here too, for this time of the year anyway." said Parvati.

"I´ll see you later guys, I have to do rounds" said Hermione as she stood up and walked out of the compartment. What she wished deeply was to be alone.

Hermione desperately needed time to think, to sort out her feelings because she felt utterly confused. She began walking looking for a place away of the noise, the chattering and the laughs. And she found it, an empty compartment, at the end of the train that distinguished from the others because it had a really big window that showed the changing scenery of mountains, colourful flowers, and enormous trees.

As she stared she thought "Ron is with Padma… so what".

Hermione knew she should be happy for them, Ron was her friend and Padma was a good girl, but she couldn´t help it, she wasn't happy, it was quite the opposite, but for some strange reason she felt extremely angry.

"Ron should've told me, that's why I am mad at him" said Hermione out loud, while she wiped out a tear that against her will had fallen down her face, but as soon as she wiped out that one, many more started to flow down her face, because deep in her heart she knew she wasn't crying because Ron had kept it from her, but because…

"What should've Weasley told you?" said a disgusting voice, behind Hermione.

Hermione turned to see Draco standing right behind her. To Draco's surprise he found a Hermione with red cheeks and really watery eyes. A slight frown appeared in his face that was the last thing he had expected, he had never seen Hermione cry before, and for what he had heard, it was clear that Ron had something to do with it, and he was going to find out.

"So it's true… your friends aren't talking to you anymore." said Draco trying to sound rough.

"I've told you to mind your own business." said Hermione really quickly and sounding truly sad, she walked away so fast that she almost hit Draco on her way out.

Hermione entered another empty compartment not very far from the one she had left an intrigued Draco, but this time she shut the door behind her. She sat down, closed her eyes, full of tears, and took a deep breathe; she had to pull herself together because they would be arriving very soon and she remembered Katie's words "the first years are your responsibility". She took a couple more of deep breathes and she felt more relaxed and it was right moment because the Express was starting to slow down, indicating they had arrived. She walked out of the compartment and saw that people were preparing to exit the train.

"Hermione" said a voice behind her, but this time it wasn't Draco, it was Ginny. Hermione tried to smile.

"I've been looking all over for you, are you okay." said Ginny quickly and looking really worried.

"Yeah, why shouldn't I be okay" said Hermione very slowly and in a tone that was almost a whisper.

"Hermione, I know that…" started Ginny, but Hermione touched her arm and said "Not now Ginny, I have to make sure the first years don't get lost." And she walked away.

Hermione instructed the first years to the boats and into the Great Hall, carefully avoiding Ron, she didn't want to see him, but she couldn't evade him at the Gryffindor Table because he sat right in front of her. But she avoided any eye contact with him during the whole ceremony and Headmaster's Dumbledore speech, because she pretended to listen intently to what he was saying but for the first time in six years, she didn't hear a single word of it, she kept remembering Padma throwing her arms around Ron and kissing him. During dinner, Ron made several attempts to talk to her, but every time he was about to open his mouth, Hermione would start making small talk with Harry and Parvati.

Meanwhile in the other end of the Great Hall, there were a couple of eyes observing Hermione quite closely. Draco couldn't take his eyes away of Hermione he was desperately looking for a clue that would tell him what had made Hermione so sad.

"Mate, what are you looking at?" asked Crabbe with his mouth full.

That brought Draco back to earth "I…was…simply…" he started mumbling.

"Looking for a way to get Potter into trouble" said Goyle while he smiled mischievously.

"Exactly" said Draco firmly and smiling. But his smile soon disappeared, and a frown appeared in his face. Goyle was right that was what he should be doing, not looking at Hermione, so what if she was mad at Ron. Draco shook his head started eating and forgot about Hermione.

Ron and Hermione walked shoulder to shoulder during the first years' tour around the school. They showed them where the common room was, told them the password making a lot of emphasis in the fact that they weren't allowed to say it to anyone outside their house. At the end they walked to bed without even saying good night.

Hermione tried to enter quietly to the girl's dormitory, but Ginny, who wasn't asleep as the rest of the girls, was expecting her.

"Ginny I thought you were asleep" said Hermione, knowing perfectly well that Ginny would wait for her, awake.

"Hermione I think…" started Ginny.

"I am beaten" interrupted Hermione while she let herself fall into her bed. "Completely exhausted"

"Still…" continued Ginny "We should…"

"Go to bed" finished Hermione for her.

"Fine" said Ginny. It was clear that Hermione was avoiding the subject Ginny was trying to talk about.

_**Confessions **_

Hermione had a restless night; she couldn't sleep, so at 5 o'clock she went downstairs to the common room, she needed a place to think. She sat in the hearthrug right in front of the fire and stared at the yellow and red flames that gave her light and warmth in that really cold night.

"Why didn't he tell me? Why did he keep it from me? Why Padma?" Hermione gave a deep sigh. "Why does it hurt this much?" She could feel her eyes becoming watery again, but she couldn't help it, every time she remembered Padma in Ron's arms she just wanted to cry.

"Which one do you want me to answer first?" said a voice behind the hearthrug. Hermione made an utmost effort to keep tears from falling and turned to find Ginny looking worriedly at her.

"You should be in bed" said Hermione in the most normal tone she could find.

"So should you" answered Ginny as she approached Hermione and sat in the armchair next to the hearthrug, she also stared at the fire.

"You want to know why…" Ginny paused "it was because of Viktor" said Ginny without taking her sight of the fire.

Hermione who had also been staring at the fire scowled and turned to see Ginny "I don't understand… what's the relation between Viktor and the fact that Ron is with Padma."

Ginny stopped staring at the fire and gave Hermione a despair look. "Ron was jealous that you…"

"Ron can't be jealous" said Hermione quickly as she stood up from the hearthrug and walked away a few steps, giving her back to Ginny.

"Hermione, Ron likes you" said Ginny who was quickly starting to exasperate.

"No he doesn't" said Hermione stubbornly.

Ginny covered her face with her hands, she was tired of the "No he doesn't like me" "No I don't like her, we're just friends" between Hermione and Ron.

"Hermione if we're going to talk about this you have to be true to yourself" said Ginny in an irritated tone.

"I am" said Hermione trying to sound firm, but hardly achieving it,

"You are… ha" said Ginny as she stood up and walked towards Hermione. Ginny took Hermione's shoulder and obliged her to turn and face her; Hermione was playing uneasily with her hands, trying to avoid Ginny's eyes.

"Then look me in the eye and tell me that you don't like my brother" said Ginny firmly, giving Hermione a deep look. Hermione turned to see her hands, she took a deep breath and looked up at Ginny, she was going to do it she was going to say that Ron was just her friend, she opened her mouth but no sound came out of it, she tried once more she was going to say it, but once again she failed at it. She tried a third time but she was unsuccessful

"I thought so" said Ginny.

"I…I…" started Hermione "I like him... there… you have it" said Hermione really quickly and avoiding Ginny´s eyes.

"See how hard could that be." said Ginny elatedly.

Hermione walked away again and sat once more in the hearthrug, she couldn't stand Ginny's triumphant smile. "How hard had it been?" thought Hermione. It had been really hard, because that was a secret she had kept only to herself, a secret she never thought she would have the courage to confess. But now, in a second she had finally come clean about her true feelings, and she had to admit she felt relieved, but also really scared and sad.

"But he doesn't" said Hermione sounding truly disappointed and in the verge of tears. Hermione buried her face in her hands that erased Ginny's broad smile and sunk her back in exasperation.

"God Hermione, you're really smart, the best of your class" said Ginny trying to bring Hermione back to your senses "and you're telling me, you don't see the most obvious thing in the world!"

She began walking towards the hearthrug where Hermione was sobbing quietly and knelt before her. "Hermione, Ron likes you, I've told you that a million times." said Ginny in a sweet tone.

"He… he doesn't" said Hermione while she raised her head a little "if he did… he wouldn't be with Padma." finished Hermione tearfully

Ginny stood up again and her expression turned serious. "I am sorry to say this… but you provoked it" said Ginny a little bit more roughly than she had really meant.

Ginny softened her tone again and sat down in the armchair besides the hearthrug "Hermione you didn't see Ron's expression when your letter came in. The expression on everyone's face." said Ginny as she recalled the scene. "Harry was reading your letter out loud and when he reached the part where you said you were going to visit Viktor, he slowed down and gave Ron furtive looks. Fred and George were also there, they were trying really hard to suppress a laugh because they had expected Ron to burst right after Harry finished reading your letter. But he didn't, he just stayed there looking absentmindedly toward the window; it was like if he had been stunned or something because he didn't say a word. He just spent the next days really quiet staring at Padma… for hours at a time. Then like a week after that, he announced that… well, that he and Padma were together."

"But Viktor and I are just friends" said Hermione sounding more calmed.

"Remember what you were saying when I came in, why did it hurt so much?" Hermione nodded. "Well because you're jealous, because deep in your heart you wish to be in Padma's place." One more sour tear fell down Hermione's face. "Well that's the exact same thing that happened to Ron when your letter arrived. You shattered his heart when you told him you were going to spend two weeks alone with a boy that has more than a crush on you."

"Well, if Ron liked me, why didn't he say something?" said Hermione in a dignified voice.

"Because he's a stupid boy" mumbled Ginny more to herself than to Hermione. She felt really mad at her brother for not coming forward, and provoking the situation that Hermione and Ron were now in. Ginny shook her head and then turned back to Hermione "I don't know, I can't unravel my brother's heart, but you should have listened to me and give a step forward… see I was right"

Hermione stood up and walked a few steps, while she wiped out another tear that had fallen from her really swollen and puffy eyes. "I know but maybe if he had given me a hint I might have…"

"More hint than the scandal at the Yule Ball!!!" said Ginny utterly amazed.

"If he had said something, I might have…" started Hermione again.

"_You_ should've said something" said Ginny in a scolding tone.

"But I wasn't sure if he had feelings for me…"

"Hermione I told you a million times that he liked you, that you had to say something because if not, you were going to end up in the situation you're already in." said Ginny more loudly than she had meant.

"Maybe if I had had some certainty about it I might have…" started Hermione once more.

"Might-have-beens" interrupted Ginny. There was a heartbreaking silence between them.

"You're right" said Hermione and she sighed deeply "Might-have-beens" finished Hermione in a resignated tone. "There's nothing we can do to change the fact that he's with Padma now." Hermione sighed once more as she walked back to the hearthrug and stared at the fire once more, so did Ginny. There was nothing else to say, that was the cold truth, there was nothing else left to do.

"But is better this way, isn't it" said Hermione suddenly. "I mean what would've happened to our friendship if Ron and I… no…no its better this way" said Hermione in an more or less successful attempt to convince herself that Padma and Ron together was a good thing.

Ginny gave her a sad look because she knew that Hermione was right maybe a break up between her and Ron might have affected their friendship significantly and that was a big risk, but a risk, that in her opinion, they should've taken because the right thing or not that would not change the way they felt about each other.

"And besides Padma is a good girl, is not like if he's with that complete cow Pansy Parkinson" said Hermione with a weak smile on her face.

"Yeah…" said Ginny a little bit more cheerfully "it's like if you paired up with Malfoy"

Hermione quivered at the mere thought of it. "No… that will _NEVER,_ hear me… NEVER… happen" said Hermione in a determined voice.

"Never say never" said Ginny.

"Well I just did" said Hermione. Both girls laughed.

Hermione looked at Ginny gratefully she had helped her untangle her mixed up feelings, to admit for the first time something she had known deep in her heart for quite a long time, but had never had the courage to say it. She had finally taken that burden out of her chest, she had at last confessed her true feelings toward her best friend, and even though now it was a lost hope it felt good to be able to share it with someone else.

"What" said Ginny intrigued.

"Nothing" answered Hermione.


	2. Chapter 2

_**But It Still Hurts**_

A couple of hours later the common room was full of Gryffindors, most of them timid-looking first years, not quite sure what to expect. Hermione, Ginny and Parvati were downstairs, but Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen, and Hermione wanted to talk Ron before they went to breakfast.

"Don't worry he _has_ to come down." whispered Ginny so Parvati wouldn't hear her.

Professor Mc Gonagall was handing out the schedules for the year, when Hermione got a glimpse of Ron and Harry coming downstairs. And when they approached, Professor Mc Gonagall gave all five of them their schedules and asked them to be on time for every single one of their classes, because otherwise detention would have to be served, without exception.

Ginny, Harry and Parvati looked down to the pieces of parchments that Mc Gonagall had just handed them. But Hermione and Ron, that were standing in front of each other, were exchanging furtive looks, trying to start a conversation without knowing where to start.

"Not again... Potions, Charms, and Care of Magical Creatures with Slytherins!!!!" said Parvati clearly irritated.

Harry sighed "Well, you remember a year in which it has not been like that?" said Harry in a resignated tone.

"Yes, you're right" said Parvati. "But... I mean how difficult would it be for Dumbledore to do something about it?"

"You know, that's an interesting question" said Ginny suddenly "Maybe we could discuss it over breakfast, shall we" finished Ginny urging Parvati and Harry to walk towards the Fat Lady's Portrait.

The three of them were halfway through the portrait when Harry called out for Ron "Mate, aren't you coming?" Ginny rolled her eyes and was about to step on Harry's foot, when he realized that the whole purpose of them going to breakfast, was to leave Ron and Hermione alone. "Never mind" Harry added hurriedly.

Hermione started walking towards an empty corner of the more or less crowded common room. Once they stood there, Hermione and Ron looked into each other eyes.

"Hermione... I..." started Ron "should've told you... it's just that..." Ron was looking for the right words; he didn't want to worsen the already delicate situation between them.

Hermione stared at her hands with which she started to play with her fingers. "It's okay... No I mean..." she added hurriedly as she looked up at Ron, who was getting considerably taller than her. "Yes, you should've told me... I don't see the reason why you didn't" she had not meant to say that, because she knew perfectly well the reason why he hadn't told her. An uncomfortable silence came between them; they didn't know what else to say.

"I am happy for you guys." lied Hermione to finish with that uneasy silence.

"Thanks" said Ron staring to the floor.

"So... friends again" continued Ron.

Hermione smiled weakly "Yes" she answered.

"Then lets have breakfast" said Ron.

They both walked out and they were only two feet away from the Great Hall's doors when the first test for Hermione came, Padma appeared all of the sudden behind Ron covering his eyes with her hands.

"Guess who it is" said Padma excitedly to Ron, a broad smile appeared on his face as he touched the tender arms that were obscuring his sight.

Hermione sighed so deeply that she thought that they might have heard it... but no, they were too busy playing.

"I have no idea..." said Ron playfully.

Hermione just wanted to run out of there, she couldn't believe how much it hurt seeing them together and happy, because Ron seemed to be more than pleased to be playing with Padma. But she knew she had to be brave because from now on that would be a constant in her life. She took a strand of her bushy hair and started to play nervously with it, she didn't know what else to do.

"Got you" said Ron as he finally freed himself from Padma´s arms, she gave him a little kiss. Hermione, involuntarily, rolled her eyes.

"Hello Hermione, I hadn't seen you" said Padma truthfully.

Hermione pulled herself together before answering; suddenly a simple hello was very difficult for her.

As they resumed their walk towards the Great Hall Hermione kept reminding herself that after all, this was the best thing for all of them, maybe in that way the next time that she saw them together it wouldn't hurt that much.

And the days began to pass one after the other, and little by little Hermione got used to idea of Ron and Padma together, although it still hurt. She also got used to the idea that she was no longer the only girl in Ron's and Harry's lives, the Patil twins were now a very important part of it and as a result she spent considerable less time with her best friends, but she had found another way of spending the time that she no longer spent with her friends, by reading.

_**Hermione's Birthday Part I**_

"How long do you think will be before she comes down" whispered Ron to Harry as they came down from the boy's dorms.

"Not long, she wakes up really early" Harry whispered back.

But when they came to the end of the stairs, they found Hermione already up and studying from what appeared to be the Potions book, in a completely empty common room only lighted by the fire that made the room a little bit cosier in that chilly morning of September 19th

"Hermione..." said Harry, sounding completely surprised, he had obviously not expected to see her sitting there.

Hermione looked up, and in that moment both Harry and Ron tried to hide what they were carrying in their hands. Hermione saw the movement but pretended to be uninterested.

"What are you doing?" asked Ron, Hermione was about to open her mouth to answer him when Ron interrupted again. "Let me guess... studying" Hermione nodded and she turned her head back to her book.

"But we don't have any exams today" said Harry with a small frown.

"No, but Snape said he would have a surprise test this week, I'm guessing is today" said Hermione in a very serious tone without taking her sight of her book.

"Come on... like if there's something on that book that you don't know" said Ron with a smile on his face.

"Of course there are a lot of things that I don't know" answered Hermione more roughly than she had meant"

"Let's see" said Ron pushing her book away from her, Hermione tried to grab it, but Ron was really fast considering he only used his right hand, because in his left he was clearly hiding something.

"The main ingredient of a Wit Sharpening Potion is..." asked Ron with a big smile on his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes and folded her arms, she didn't feel like answering but she did.

"Beetles" she answered in a serious tone and scowling.

Ron turned to the next page. "How long does the effect of a Drafting Potion lasts?"

"Two hours" she said sounding even more serious than before.

Ron closed the book. "See... you know it all"

"Two questions and you say I know it all!!!" said Hermione taking the book and opening it again. "Now if you guys don't mind, I need to study."

"Right" said Ron and he turned to face Harry. "Because you see Harry if we don't let her study she'll probably get a C on her test." Both Ron and Harry laughed.

"That wasn't funny" snapped Hermione.

"Sorry" said Harry as he sat beside her putting his right arm around her shoulder, while he carefully hid his left hand. "It's just that you stress out so much"

"Yeah..." continued Ron "Besides, the test will not be today"

"Really? And what makes you so sure about it?" asked Hermione as she laid the book down and gave him a deep look.

"I just know" said Ron smiling. "And even if it is today, you'll get an A, you know more than anyone else in the class. Now can you relax for a second."

It was like Ron had just said the opposite, because Hermione was reading more intently than before.

"Hermione, stop it" said Ron taking the book away from her.

"Give it back" said Hermione sounding mad.

"Not until you answer a question" continued Ron with a smile.

Hermione folded her arms once more.

"What's today date?" asked Ron smiling

"September 19th" Hermione answered without looking to either of them.

"And on this day we celebrate..." said Harry trying to encourage her to continue.

"My birthday" she said without any enthusiasm while staring at the table.

"Geez... Hermione, but don't be so excited about it" said Ron who was starting to exasperate.

"Hermione are you mad at us?" said Harry turning to see her with a small frown in his face. Hermione turned to see him and intended to say yes, that she was angry because in the last two weeks they had hardly paid attention to her, that they had been very busy with their girlfriends lately. But then she turned to see what both of them were hiding, it was obvious that they were gifts for her, Hermione sighed deeply. They had remembered her birthday, she knew that her friends still cared, and a lot, for her.

Hermione looked at Ron's and Harry's expression of intrigue, and smiled weakly. "No I'm not... I'm just worried about the test, and seriously, if you don't let me study I'm not going to do well."

"Hermione we won't have any tests today" said Harry sounding completely sure. Five hours later, Snape proved both Ron and Harry wrong because he gave the Gryffindor´s, in honour of Ms. Granger´s birthday, a special exam that had 30 extra questions than the Slytherins exam.

"So what you've got for me" said Hermione with a smile in her face.

Harry showed his left hand that was holding a 500-page-long book that had on its cover four moving witches every single one of them with different garments showing that they were different periods of history, one was performing a charm, another one was flying, the third one was fighting some trolls, and the last one was carefully preparing a potion, and above them was a big golden title _"The True Biographies of the Greatest Wishes of All Times."_

Hermione snatched the book from Harry's hands, her face immediately began to glow, she was so excited that she stood up and opened the book and began looking from one moving picture to the next, her eyes were definitely shining.

"This is just great Harry, thanks" said Hermione truthfully as she pressed the book against her chest. Then she turned to see Ron who suddenly seemed a little bit nervous, he didn't think his gift would cause the kind of excitement in Hermione that Harry's gift had just caused. Ron showed his left hand and from his forefinger hung a gorgeous golden chain that in its end had an also golden, small, heart-shaped locket.

Hermione was mesmerized, it was simply beautiful. She left the book on the table, walked over to Ron and took the chain from his hand.

"Open it" said Ron, Hermione did as she was told and found inside the locket a picture of the three of them. It had to be an old picture, because they looked a lot younger. As she looked closer she noticed a golden chain around her neck, the time turner, so it had to be from their third year. She was carefully examining the moving picture in which she was between Harry and Ron, all of them laughing heartily, when she remembered that the picture had been taken by Colin Creevey, to celebrate the end of the row that had almost cost her friendship with Ron, three years earlier.

She looked up to Ron, things had certainly changed since then, at some point their friendship had turned into something more. Something more that neither of them had the courage to say and had caused the situation they were now in. But if she had talked, as Ginny had advised her so many times, what would've happened then? Things would be different, sure, but how much? Would it have been for good or for bad? Well it was a little too late to find out.

"Thank you, Ron" said Hermione and she threw her arms around him, like she had done three years earlier when they had finally reconciled. But this time Ron didn't just patted her in the head but truly held her in his arms, pressing her hard against him. Hermione closed her eyes, and a tear fell down her face, she just wanted to freeze time over so she could stay in his arms forever, but as much as it hurt, she had to let go, and slowly she began to break free from him, and as she did she felt her heart break into a million pieces, once more.

_**Hermione's Birthday Part II**_

After dinner, Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry were going back to Gryffindor tower when they bumped into Crabbe, Goyle and Draco who were being chased by a small, brown owl, who apparently was looking for Hermione because the second the owl saw her, she went directly to her.

"Arcade" said Hermione excited. "It's Viktor's owl" she said to Ron, Harry and Ginny. "Poor thing, it's clearly freezing" the owl was shivering in her hands "You had a long journey, didn't you" she said to the quivering owl. Hermione took the package she was carrying.

"A gift from Viktor?" asked Harry.

"Probably" answered Hermione "Ginny would you mind taking her to the owlery, so she can rest" Finished Hermione.

"Not at all" said Ginny as she carefully took the shaking owl into her hands.

Before unwrapping the package she read the letter that was attached to it. Harry could see a bearly distinguishable jealousy gesture in Ron's face.

"Well what does it say?" asked Ron trying not to sound too anxious.

Hermione finished reading the letter and smiled. "Well obviously that he wishes me a Happy Birthday, and that he'll probably be in the UK pretty soon, he doesn't know exactly when, but he'll be dropping me a visit." Ron frowned slightly.

"That big-headed Quidditch Player it's going to be here, again!!!" said Draco sounding irritated, it wasn't until then that they noticed that he had been standing there the whole time.

"Why, you have a problem with that?" said Harry smiling.

"Of course, the last time he was here the whole school was after him asking for autographs, it was constant gossip and whispering when he was around, it was impossible to do anything around here"

As Draco gave his speech of why he didn't want Viktor in Hogwarts, Hermione opened the package, it was another book.

"I thought it was something else." said Harry as he noticed in Draco a weird look on his eyes.

"What else could it be?" asked Draco

"Well, maybe… that he's coming to see Hermione" The moment Harry finished his sentence Ron and Hermione gave him an are-you-completely-mad-look, in fact Hermione was so shocked that she almost dropped the book that she was holding, and even though the book didn't hit the floor, something that was inside of it did. In an unexpected act, Draco knelt and picked it up.

It was a photograph Hermione and Viktor had taken during her visit to Bulgaria. Viktor was wearing his uniform and the scenery was a playfield, probably taken after his friendly match with Italy. Hermione was close friends of a very-handsome World known seeker; that would make anyone jealous.

And in that moment Harry realized that the weird thing in Draco´s eyes was indeed jealousy trying to appear.

"No, that only shows he's bad taste" and he gave Hermione her picture back.


	3. Chapter 3

**An Astronomy Homework**

Hermione burst into the boys' dorms, with two long pieces of parchment in her right hand, her ink pot and her favourite quill in her left one.

"Come on guys let's go do the Astronomy homework" she announced quite loudly and sounding extremely bossy

"Hermione, you scared the hell out of me!" said Ron as he turned back to the mirror, in front of which he had been combing his hair before Hermione's voice had almost made him jump. "How is it that you are able to come into our dorms but we can't come into yours?"

"I've told you... read "Hogwarts A History"" answered Hermione.

"Hermione... come on." he insisted.

"No" said Hermione in a determined tone.

"Fine" said Ron

"Um... Hermione, I've... already done it" said Harry apologetically, Hermione gave him an amazed look "I did it yesterday with Parvati."

It took Hermione a few seconds to answer, that was the least thing she had expected to hear from Harry. "Oh!.. That's okay"

Ron stopped combing his hair and turned to see her again "What Astronomy homework?" he asked.

Hermione turned to see him, and gave him a scolding-look "Ron, don't you ever pay at least a little bit of attention!" said Hermione sharply.

Hermione shook her head, took a deep breathe and then started to describe the assignment in a nicer tone "Jupiter is having a strange behaviour, its moons are moving really quickly, the shades of red grow stronger at intervals, and its rotating really slowly and we are supposed to monitor all its movements for an hour"

"Yeah, I think I remember something about it... this strange behaviour makes the planet visible from Earth without telescope, but it will only last for a month, right?"

"Right" said Hermione

"See... I do pay attention" said Ron emphazing the "I do"

"Well sometimes you don't seem to, but anyway are you coming?" asked Hermione. Ron paused for a second, Hermione immediately knew he wasn't.

"I can't... Padma and I are going for a walk around the castle's grounds."

"Oh!" was the only thing Hermione managed to say. "That's fine" she said trying to sound as if the matter was not important. "Just remember its due on Friday, first period." Added Hermione, a few moments later

"I'll do it tomorrow night, don't worry" said Ron

Hermione smirked and walked out, as she came down the boy's dorms she realized something, in order to study Jupiter's movements she would have to be in the castle's grounds, the same as Ron and Padma. She stopped in the middle of the common room, suddenly an intense desire to stay invaded her, she could do the homework the next day.

"No" she said to herself "you are not going to let something like that stop you" and she started walking again, and as she did she tried to convince herself that she would not run into them, after all Hogwarts grounds were enormous.

She looked up at the sky, it was a clear night, you could see all the constellations shine; there wasn't a single cloud, although there was a little bit of wind. Hermione started looking for Jupiter, a really big and bright red ball with many small balls around it, it took her a few seconds but she found it so she placed herself in the way she considered to be most appropriate for observing such a special planet. She sat down in the grass, took her quill and one of the parchments, and was ready to write down anything unusual.

Five minutes later she saw Jupiter's moons joining in pairs, pairs that rotated really quickly; she was writing it down when she heard a very loud laugh and she turned around to find Padma some 30 foot away from her, standing next to Ron, laughing heartily.

"Hey don't laugh" said Ron with a slight frown in his face.

"Sorry it's just that it was so funny" Padma continued to laugh "you walking into a Potion's class instead of Defense Against the Dark Arts"

"It was the first week of school, I got confused, I thought it was time of Potion's class."

"But still so funny" Padma made an effort to stop, but she still had a big smile across her face "I would have loved to see Snape's face when he saw you entering his class"

"He said that if I wanted to take some extra potions class, that it would definitely suit me well, all the students that were there burst into laughs" and so did Padma, she was clearly having the time of her life. "I got detention, but anyway let's talk about something more pleasant."

Padma tried to stop laughing, and this time she managed to achieve it and nodded in agreement. Ron smiled and put his arm around her shoulder and they resumed their walk. Hermione diverted her attention she couldn't stand it.

"Hermione" she said to herself "you have an assignment to do, focus!" she ordered herself. She looked up to the sky but there was nothing new about it, so she looked back at the couple that was now several foot away from her, she could no longer hear their conversation but she could see them laughing again. "Hermione stop it!!" she ordered herself again, she looked at her watch, she needed to observe Jupiter for another 45 minutes, this would be the longest 45 minutes of her life. She looked up again and this time she found that the shades of red in the planet were coming stronger until the whole planet was a blood-red-bright ball, that it made the planet seem even bigger. She stated it in her parchment. She looked up again and the colour was loosing its strength, but other than that there was nothing new, so she felt a huge impulse to look where she knew Ron and Padma were, she hesitated but she did, they were sitting on a bench apparently just talking but they looked so comfortable with each other, so happy, so at ease. She looked away and promised no to turn again, but she did, and that's how she spent the rest of the hour, observing Jupiter but also giving furtive looks to Ron and Padma, and every time she did, she looked at her watch who had advanced only a few minutes since the last time she had looked at it. And the last time that she turned she saw Ron giving a little but tender kiss to Padma, one tear fell down Hermione's face; she closed her eyes as she wiped that tear away. She opened her eyes and looked at her watch, finally what had seemed like an eternity had ended, the hour was over. She took the parchments, the quill, and the inkpot as fast as she could, she stood up and started running and she didn't stop until she faced the Fat Lady's Portrait

"Password" she asked

Hermione couldn't answer for a few seconds, she was catching her breathe. "Obliviate" she said finally. She entered almost running making her way to girls dorms, but the common room was packed and people were involuntarily getting her way, finally she got to the staircases that led to the girls dorms, she was about to go up when someone grabbed her arm.

"Hermione, are you okay" said Harry, he had saw her come in with a very distressed face

"Harry you scared me!" said Hermione "Yeah it's just that..." Hermione paused, her mind was racing "It had been just that seeing Ron and Padma together like that was more than she could handle" she thought, more tears were threatening to come down, "I just need to go to bed" finished Hermione, Harry was about to open his mouth to object, but he saw the plead in Hermione's eyes to let her go, and so he did. Hermione ran so fast that within a second she already was in the girls dorms.

Hermione entered the girls dorms and violently threw everything she had in her hands toward the bed, and sat down while she buried her face in her hands, her heart was racing really fast, she closed her eyes but when she did images of Padma and Ron together just flew into her mind, so she opened her eyes again and stood up.

"My dear is everything alright?" said a voice behind Hermione, she jumped.

"Mirror, you scared me" said Hermione as she turned to see the smiling mirror. "Yeah, everything its just fine" said Hermione with the saddest tone.

"You surely seem to be having the time of your life" said the mirror sarcastically. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back in the bed. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"It's... nothing" said Hermione without looking at the mirror.

"I see and for what my experience can tell me "nothing" means... boy trouble" Hermione immediately turned around.

"How do you..." started Hermione the mirror smiled "Experience, my dear, you know I wasn't bought yesterday, so are you going to tell me?"

"It's just that... well... you know the guy I like is with another girl... and well he seems to be very happy and I know I should be happy for them, but I simply can't... every time I see them together there are so many mixed feelings...?

"You know there's only one way out... you have to take him out of your mind..." the mirror sighed "if he is with another girl and he is happy then... you need to get over this crush" said the mirror in slight tone of sadness, her experience also told her that was not an easy thing to achieve.

"How hard can that be?" finished Hermione sarcastically.

The mirror had a sad smile, she had seen so many girls before Hermione go through the exact same pain, love triangles, so common, a girl likes a boy, and the boy likes another girl, and the great pain that usually caused.

"Time and distance" whispered the mirror.

"What?" Hermione looked up.

The mirror sighed "Sometimes the only way to get over this kind of things is with "Time and Distance"

"Meaning?" asked Hermione

"Time will heal every wound your heart has now, even if doesn't feel like it right now it will, but" Hermione frowned she didn't like that but "is most likely that time will heal you wounds if you grow apart?" Hermione eyes went wide open "I'm not saying you need to have a complete separation from your friend but you must try to spend less time with him....considerable less time."

"That's insane" yelled Hermione in a harsher tone than she meant "Sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice" she apologised, after all the mirror was only trying to help.

"But I can't do what you are suggesting, he's my best friend!" Hermione felt a tear come down her face, why did it have to be so complicated. "We've grown up together, we've been together in the good ones and in the bad ones, we've laughed together, we…" Hermione stopped, it was very painful to continue. "I just can't" she said quietly while she stared at the floor with her eyes flooding with tears.

"Then sweetie" said the mirror in the nicest tone she could, what she was going to say wasn't an easy thing to hear "you have ahead of you, the toughest of all missions, and that is to get over the friend that you see every day, in almost every class, with whom you eat lunch" Hermione buried her face in her hands "because what slowly developed into something else has to go back to what it was: a friendship, is not going to be easy, it'll be harder than any test or essay and there's no book that can tell you how to do it, but not everything is bad"

"What could possibly be good?" whispered Hermione looking at the mirror with pretty swollen eyes.

"That if you achieve you'll get to keep a great friendship; he will continue to be your best friend, something that "Time and Distance" wouldn't provide. The task is the hardest but the reward is also the best you can get."

Hermione sighed really deeply, the mirror had said some very painful words but also some very truthful ones that had made her realise that even if that was the hard path to succeed she had to take it because their friendship was the most valuable thing. "Thanks" she whispered

**THE SCORES**

As Ron, Hermione and Harry entered the dungeon the next day, they noticed a weird smile in Snape´s face.

"I don't like this" said Hermione.

Ron and Harry turned to see her, they both agreed with her but they didn't say a word. They quietly took their seats, at the back of the dungeon, as always. When everyone was inside, Snape got his wand out aimed to the door so it would close by itself, but softly, without making a single noise, an odd thing because he always slammed it. Snape positioned himself in the centre of the room and raised his wand out.

"Accio tests" he said in a determined voice, and the tests flew across the room and positioned themselves in his hands, Snape smiled more broadly than before, on the other hand Hermione's was starting to have trouble breathing.

"Well, well... this exam brought me some surprises... pretty good ones I must say" he said as he turned to see Hermione. Hermione closed her eyes she knew that what came next was not a good thing.

"Slytherin" said Snape proudly as he turned to see Draco "surpassed Gryffindor"

"Yeah, with 30 questions less, who wouldn't" whispered Ron

"None" said Snape as he looked back to Hermione "Gryffindor was able to make a single A" said Snape slowly, clearly enjoying the moment. "None" he repeated to remark that fact and gave Hermione a deep look. Hermione pulled herself together and sustained Snape´s deep look, she knew he was about to humiliate her but she was not going to allow Snape see her affected by that.

"On the contrary Slytherin had an A" Snape turned to see Draco, he smiled broadly, Draco knew he was about to be mentioned "and of course it was no other than Draco Malfoy, who brilliantly surpassed Ms. Granger´s poor C" All the Slytherins burst into laughs while the Gryffindors gave them despise looks. Both Draco and Snape were glowing with proud.

Draco couldn't describe the feeling of pride feeling his body, he had been able to do what anyone else had done before, surpass the know-it-all Hermione Granger, who had been the top of any class she had been in and Draco had to admit that it felt good, really good, he turned to see Hermione wandering what she was feeling, what was behind that expressionless face. Hermione was having trouble keeping tears from coming down her face, but what she really wished for in that moment was Ron to hold her, to feel his arms around her making her feel secure. Ron had tried to hold her hand, and almost did, but when he was about to touch her hand, he stopped, suddenly he felt afraid to do it, he wanted to do it so much but didn't feel brave enough, instead he stared at Hermione´s inexpressive face, without imagining how much she wanted him to hold her in his arms.

"A big applause for Mr. Malfoy" said Snape and all the Slyitherins did while Gryffindors folded their arms. Draco´s face was completely shining, for once, he had been the best.

"Let´s see" said Snape and he started to hand out the graded exams, of course starting with Draco´s

"Extremely well done, Mr Malfoy" said Snape as he gave Draco his exam, Of course the next one he handed out was Hermione's exam, he gave her an exam that had a C, bigger than normal and in a brilliant red, Snape was smiling broadly but still he didn't get Hermione to make any kind of expression, so he moved on to the next exam, Pansy Parkinson's, "Very good, Mrs Parkinson" said Snape as he handed her an exam with a big B on it. Snape returned to the Gryffindor side and gave Harry and Ron their exams of course with big D´s on them "You didn't do much better than Ms Granger" said Snape but unlike Hermione; Ron and Harry were very mad and they were not hiding it from Snape. The next two exams were the one's of Crabbe and Goyle, they were C´s so Snape didn't say anything, instead he moved to the exam that he knew would make that C´s not look so bad, Neville´s exam, he had gotten an E, Neville was trembling and all he got to say was a weak "Thanks" when he received his exam. And Snape continued to hand out exams while Hermione continued to be emotionless. Harry and Ron looked at each other, they felt really bad for making fun of her the day before by telling her that if they didn't let her study she would get a C, and she had gotten one. The class ended and none of them had a said a single word, they were walking silently towards the Great Hall when some unexpected company arrived, of course no other than Draco Malfoy guarded as always by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry and Ron immediately took their wands out but didn't raise them.

"What does it feel to get a C, know-it-all?" said Draco in a despising tone.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" said Hermione and she tried to continue walking she was definitely not in the mood for fighting, but Crabbe moved blocking her way.

"Tell your gorillas, to let me pass Malfoy or you'll regret it" said Hermione in a serious tone, but Draco ignored her petition and continued

"You know Granger, you may be a mud-blood but I always thought you were smart, you know being at the top of everything, but today I proved that wrong didn't I" said Draco as he raised his hand in which he still had the exam with a brilliant and big A, Hermione´s eyes were starting to glow with anger and she had quite a tight grip on her wand.

"I beat the know-it-all, Hermione Granger" said Draco proud fully and he smiled, as always Crabbe and Goyle imitated him and smiled too.

Ron was about to raise his wand and jinx Draco when a better idea came to his mind.

"You know Malfoy" he started "Normally I would not give you any kind of advice, but this time I will" Harry turned and gave Ron an are-you-feeling–well-look "Stop picking on Hermione, or believe me... she'll get you in a way you... definitely won't like." Suddenly Harry got the hint of what Ron was doing and prepared himself for what came next.

"Really what can the girl who only managed to get a C do to me?" he made a big emphasis on "who only managed to get a C" something that immediately made Hermione take her wand out and aim at Draco´s forehead, and before he could even react she had already cast a spell on him.

"Gluetominon" she had yelled and the exam that had been in his hand flew and pasted on his forehead, and given the fact that the exam was a long piece of parchment it covered his face and his neck. Ron, Harry and Hermione laughed while Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other not knowing what to do.

"You wanted to show the whole school you had gotten an A, well now you can" said Hermione laughing.

Harry, Hermione and Ron started walking and they were halfway through the corridor when suddenly Hermione turned and said "You know Malfoy to get that out of your forehead you'll have to use a potion, but that shouldn't be a problem for you, you surely know which one to use, after all you got an A, didn't you" said Hermione and the three of them laughed harder than before. Hermione was starting to feel much better. They were approaching the Great Hall when Padma appeared and the smile that had been on Hermione's face suddenly faded, she could not help it.

"Hey baby, how was you're potions class?" said Padma in a sweet tone. Ron showed her the exam.

"Right, that was a stupid question." said Padma as she held Ron's free hand.

"Well History of the Magic was not much better; I think I slept through at least half the class... I'm still so sleepy." she said as she leaned her head on Ron´s shoulder, Hermione started to play nervously with her hair and to stare at the floor she was trying to avoid seeing the scene in front of her, but she couldn´t stay looking at the floor all the time so she looked up for a second and what did she see, Ron wrapping his arms around Padma and holding her tight against him.

A tear came down her face, but just one and she turned pretending to be looking for Ginny in the crowd behind them, so she could washed it, she took a deep breathe because now more than ever she had to pull herself together, and she was finding it really difficult, more than when Snape had humiliated in front of the whole class.

Hermione turned again to find Ron still holding Padma in his arms, she could not describe the feeling invading her body it was like if her heart sank in a deep fog, making all the happiness she had felt before fly out of her body and be replaced by a deep sadness, but this time was different, it was not a common sadness, it was one that she had never experienced before because she wanted to be the one in Ron's arms so badly, but that was hopeless and she felt miserable.

At the same time she could feel Harry's profound look, he was trying to read her mind and he certainly was achieving it, so she was avoiding his emerald eyes.

"Let's go to dinner" said suddenly a new voice, it was Ginny. Ron and Padma let go of each other and started walking as well as Harry but Hermione didn't, she couldn't go in there, she knew that Padma would sit at Gryffindor table, and she didn't think she could spend the whole dinner watching them.

"I'm not going" she said abruptly "I..." she paused to clear her throat, because her voice was starting to break "... have to study"

"Hermione, are you okay" said Ron with a slight frown in his face.

"Yeah, I'm... as well as I can be... after what happened" said Hermione trying to keep her voice even. Ron nodded in a agreement. He knew that for Hermione getting C should be quite a big deal, although what he didn't realize was that Hermione wasn't talking about her grade.

"I can help you study" said Harry sensing Hermione unhappiness and unlike Ron getting the true meaning of her sentence.

"You're so sweet..." A weak smile, appeared on Hermione's face, she knew he was willing to keep her company. "thanks, but you really should go to dinner... I can handle it on my own."

"Are you sure?" said Harry. Hermione nodded, she could not speak another word because if she did, she knew she would start crying. Hermione started walking towards Gryffindor common room, before anyone could say anything else. Ron, Padma, Harry and Ginny started walking toward the Great Hall.

**Crying because...**

Hermione entered the girls' dormitories that were empty with her face full tears. She threw the exam on the table near the hearthrug, and sat in the hearthrug right in front of the fire. "You have to take him out of your mind, you can't allow this happening every time you see him with Padma." Hermione sighed "You have to see him as a friend!!" she kept repeating herself "because that's what you are, friends, just friends" but as she thought of that more tears began running down her face.

"Hermione" said a voice behind her. Ginny has just entered the common room.

"Harry told me you got a C" she walked over where Hermione was sitting. "But don't cry, don't worry this won't affect your straight A score" Ginny turned to see the test. "Besides it was completely unfair that you had 30 extra questions." Hermione kept crying silently. "Hermione, really, don't worry." said Ginny trying to make Hermione feel better.

"It's just too much..." started Hermione with a breaking voice.

Ginny immediately interrupted "It's just a C, I know you are not used to get anything below an A, but, really, it won't affect your score."

"... seeing them together." Hermione finished. Ginny looked at her "Incredible right? To anyone who would see me here, crying, it would because of the C, but no one would ever imagine the true reason."

"Oh Hermione, I know what you're feeling, believe me no one can understand better than I do. Seeing Harry around Cho, was so... difficult, every time I saw them together, my heart would just..." Ginny sighed very deeply, her own history with Harry was affecting her too much.

"The point is..." continued Ginny recovering her usual tone "you have to get over him, I know it's not easy, but is for the best."

"Yeah, I know, I've tried, I really have, but it's harder than I ever imagined" said Hermione talking really slowly.

"Tell me about it!" said Ginny sounding as sad as Hermione. The girls hugged for several minutes, they were going through the same pain.

"**Doing Homework"**

The next day flew so quickly, there had been so much to do. In a way Hermione felt relieved, so much work had kept her mind busy enough not to think about Ron and Padma, because lately she felt she did that all the time.

The night was really chilly, she had spent the last hour sitting right in front of the fire, and she was starting to feel really sleepy, she was about to say "night" to Ron and Harry when she remembered their astronomy homework.

"Ron, you did your astronomy homework, right?" asked Hermione.

Ron stopped playing wizard chess with Harry and turned to see Hermione.

"It kind of slipped of my mind" said Ron apologetically

"You forgot! Its due tomorrow morning." said Hermione louder than she had meant. "Come on, let's go" she said bossily. Ron turned to see her with his eyes wide opened as she grabbed a piece of parchment, a quill and inkpot.

"But Hermione, it's freezing out there, and besides it's going to rain any second now." said Ron trying to convince Hermione, but she was already walking out the Fat Lady's Portrait. "Hey, at least, take a jacket" screamed Ron, as he took his own, he turned to see Harry. "Sorry, mate"

"That's okay, but you better go before she comes back and drags you out" said Harry as he smiled very broadly. Ron hurried out of the common room and ran down the corridor, there was no sight of Hermione, she walked really fast, he finally saw her walking near the beech tree, there was a really strong and cold wind hitting his face.

"Um... Hermione, one question" said Ron as he catched up with her "How are we supposed to see Jupiter?" Ron pointed the sky that was full of thick clouds threatening to burst, and obviously not a single star or planet was visible through such a thick barrier.

"Jupiter lightmilus" she said as she pointed her wand towards the sky suddenly a big red ball started shining over the thick clouds, at the right from where they were standing. "Problem solved" she said as she turned to see Ron and gave him the parchment, the inkpot and the quill.

They sat on the grass, Ron started observing the planet. He soon had some strange behaviour to report. The wind was getting stronger, and that made Hermione's hair turn bushier, Ron turned to see her, he loved her hair, it was far from being Padma´s sleek hair, but he still loved it. Ron kept watching her instead of Jupiter, he had never really observed her, and she was beautiful, really beautiful.

Hermione could feel Ron staring at her, and she was starting to feel nervous, he was supposed to stare at Jupiter not her. She was shivering, the night was so cold, "I've should listened to Ron" she thought.

"Put this on" said Ron as he took his jacket off.

"No!" exclaimed Hermione "You'll freeze"

Ron chuckled "Don't worry about me"

"No Ron, I can't... I won't" said Hermione firmly.

"Hermione..." said Ron in a serious tone that Hermione had never heard "don't argue with me, put it on" finished Ron. Hermione took the jacket from Ron.

"Thanks" she whispered.

Hermione started to put on Ron's jacket, which obviously was too big for her, but she didn't mind it was _his_ jacket, she immediately felt much more warm and happy; it had been such a nice thing of Ron to give her, his jacket.

She turned to see him, he was no longer staring at her, he was now looking at Jupiter, she felt such an urge to lean on his shoulder but she restrained herself "Remember he's just a friend" she had the firm intention that no matter what, she was going to get over him.

She turned to see the lake, she intended to spend the hour making a mental summary of all the types of algae and their uses, but she couldn't pass the first one, soon the only thing in her mind were all the good memories that she had spent with Ron, in all those years of friendship that made her nostalgic, but she was calmed.

The hour was almost over when some drops started to fall, in matter of seconds, the drops had become into a huge storm, both Ron and Hermione stood up as quickly as they could and started to run, they were at a very considerable distance from the castle.

Hermione was running some steps ahead from Ron when she suddenly tripped, and was about to fell when Ron caught her in his arms, she looked up to those hazel eyes that were looking at her and suddenly the rain and the wind didn't matter, nothing else did, she just wanted to kiss him, and it was so easy she just had to press her lips against his, they were so close, it was one movement away; but she couldn't he was with Padma and that wouldn't be right, if only this had happened before, maybe... suddenly tears started to flood down her face.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" asked Ron worriedly.

"Nothing" Hermione shook her head as she wiped the tears of her face "Let's go" finished Hermione and she freed herself from Ron and began running towards the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

"_**The Giants Rebellions"**_

The next day, Hermione skipped breakfast she didn't feel like eating, besides she would have to see Ron, and for the first time in her life she really didn't want to, what had happened the night before had demonstrated her that she was not over him and she really wanted to see him as friend again, only as a friend, so she went to the only place where she felt safe, the library. There was a book she had not finished reading. But for her surprise the library was packed with second-years, apparently Snape had punished them with some kind of extremely long essay about vampires.

Hermione grabbed her book _"The Giants Rebellions" _and sat on the floor in a corner she knew no one would pass, because it was on the corridor of books of History of the Magic and no one would walk through such a boring section of the library unless they really, really had to.

She was reading when suddenly the 300-hundred-page book shut itself in the most violent and noisy way, scaring her, she had been caught of guard, the book continued to fly across the corridor until it rested in someone's hands, someone she was not pleased to see, a smiling Draco Malfoy. Hermione stood up immediately.

"Give it back, Malfoy" she said as she started to walk over to where he was "I was reading it" she said when she was finally in front of him.

"Not anymore" he said as he chuckled, Hermione tried to grab it, but Draco raised his hand making it impossible for her to reach it, since he was as tall as Ron.

"Anyway, what do you want it for? I mean you can hardly spell your own name, so I don't think you can read a whole book" said Hermione it was now her turn to smile, since Draco´s grin had faded instantly.

"Careful, mud-blood" said Draco slowly and threatening "Remember... I beat you"

"Yeah, you did." said Hermione sounding far from sad "Tell me, got a good chance to show it around." finished Hermione.

Draco´s expression hardened even more, he had had to go to Snape in order to take the exam off his forehead, and contrary to what he had expected Snape had not said anything against Hermione even though it was her who had hexed his best pupil. Maybe, because Snape realised as well as he later did that he had gone too far, but he would never admit in, not in front of Hermione.

"Now, give me that back" said Hermione in a determined voice; that pulled Draco out of his thoughts.

"I'm not giving you anything back" answered Draco in the same determined voice.

"Don't tell me you got a real interest in giants rebellions" continued Hermione.

"What if I do?" asked Draco looking at the book.

"You don't, I know you to well..." Draco immediately turned to see her.

"No, you don't know me, you don't know me at all" said Draco as he turned to see the book again "but if you must know, Binns got me on detention."

"He never gives detention" said Hermione amazed.

"That's because everyone is sleeping." said Draco smiling again.

"Yeah, you're right." said Hermione also smiling "but what did you do?" she turned to see Draco.

"Well, just cheer the class a little bit. See how he always writes down on the blackboard a summary of what we see everyday" Hermione nodded, she had to admit she was feeling really curious about this. "Well, we put an invisibility charm on the chalks, so Binns wrote his summary, you know covering the whole blackboard, and five minutes later there was no blackboard." Hermione started to laugh "It's a pity it takes to long to take effect" said Draco giving some serious thought to the matter "But anyway the parts, very few them, in which he had not written were still visible, so Binns knew it was some kind of charm and he took his wand out to reverse it, but Crabbe cast the blackboard before Binns and it started moving all over the wall, the whole class was laughing" and so was Hermione she was finding this extremely amusing so much that she forgot she was in the library a place where you are supposed to be silent, the librarian scolded her.

"Sorry" Hermione excused herself, when she realized something; she was laughing of something Draco had said, not Harry, not Ron, but Draco. She turned to see him, he had made her laugh, something she had not done in quite a long time, lately everything had been tears, and there he was, he had really made her feel happy and relaxed and she had never felt that around him. A small frown appeared on her forehead, something was wrong with this picture.

"Long story, short" continued Draco, pulling Hermione out of her thoughts "We got caught, Crabbe and Goyle got lines, but I have to make an essay about any of this four books" he handed Hermione out a piece of parchment. When suddenly he realised the same thing as Hermione, what was he doing talking to her as if they were friends, telling her about their mischiefs and showing her the list of books Binns had gave him, what was wrong with him?

"I've read all of them, and believe me this one" she pointed the one in Draco´s hand "is the most boring"

"But still, is the shortest one, I've looked around the other ones are 500-page-books"

"But they are far more interesting." added Hermione

"You're reading this one, aren't you?" said Draco, recovering his usual hard tone and leaving behind the friendly one.

"That's because book that I start, book that I finish" and she grabbed the book of Draco´s hands, he was caught completely of guard. "Look if you want to read it, I'll give it to you at Care of Magical Creatures, after lunch, I've almost finished it."

Draco was about to open his mouth and object but he had had such a wonderful time that he didn't want to spoil it with a fight over nothing so, for this time only he would give in to Hermione's conditions.

"Ok, see you then" said Draco in a nicer tone than he had really meant, both him and Hermione were surprised at his courteousness.

**A Civilised Conversation**

Harry, Hermione and Ron were walking down Hogwarts grounds, they were approaching Hagrid's Hut for the Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

"Trewalaney is mental…. that's definitive" said Ron.

"You should switch Divination for Arithmancy" said Hermione in a firm tone "that's by far a more interesting subject"

"Right, but…" said Ron

"Would you wait here just a sec" interrupted Hermione.

The three of them were standing some feet from Hagrid's Hut, many Slytherins and Gryffindors were sitting on the grass waiting for class to start, Draco was not one of them, he was chatting, with his two bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle, when Hermione approached him.

"Here" said Hermione as she handed in the book, in a tone which was not nice but it wasn't rude either, she didn't know exactly how to act after their conversation in the library.

"Thanks" said Draco rather nicely "So you finished it?"

"Yes" said Hermione and she turned to leave but she stopped and turned again to see Draco "When do you have to turn in the essay?"

"The day after tomorrow, first period" he answered in an annoyed tone.

"Then you have to hurry up" she said sounding a little bit bossy, but Draco missed the bossiness in her voice.

"Yeah I will" he answered. A very awkward silence followed, they didn't know exactly what to do next.

"Well…" began Hermione "… bye, I guess"

"Bye" said Draco and he turned to continue his conversation with Crabbe and Goyle.

Hermione walked down to the completely startled Harry and Ron that were eyeing her completely incredulous; as soon as she was within hearing distance Ron started.

"What… How… Did you…" ideas were banging against each other in Ron's head but Harry cleared it for him "I can't think of a reason… even remotely possible… for you to be talking to Malfoy?" said Harry sounding irritated.

"Explain that to us!" demanded Ron in an angry voice that Hermione had never heard before, they were looking at her as if she had committed a very grave crime. She explained the library incident hoping to calm them down but she managed to do exactly the opposite, they seemed more crossed than ever, especially Ron.

"Still, don't you realise… his father is a Death Eater" said Harry trying to make her come back to your senses. "There can't be anything good in him" added Ron. Hermione turned to see Draco, his chat with Crabbe and Goyle had clearly turned into a quarrel, a heated one, the motif, Hermione was sure that it was the same that was causing her row with Ron and Harry.

"He has called you a… well you know what… a hundred times, Hermione" yelled Ron.

"Ron is right… you know he looks down on muggle-borns… don't trust anything he says" said Harry in a more calmed tone than Ron.

"What if he had hexed you!" said Ron in a panicking voice.

"Yeah in a library full of people… that would have been a great idea" said Hermione sarcastically.

"You don't know what he's capable of!" almost yelled Ron.

"Who knows this may be part of some plan to get…" said Harry sounding quite desperate.

"Ok, ok, ok, guys… I get it" Hermione was getting tired of being told off "you can stop now."

"It's extremely dangerous that…" Ron continued; he hadn't listened a word to what Hermione had said.

"Ron, really… I get it" said Hermione looking into his eyes to make him understand that she had finally got the point of what they were saying. "Now, can we sit?"

The three of them sat on the grass Hagrid arrived a few seconds later and started with his class, no dreadful animals this time, but strangely Hermione wasn't listening, she was staring at Draco that was sitting some feet away from her. Had it been that wrong to have a civilised conversation with him? Although she had to admit in 5 years that had never happened before, and what if Harry was right and this was part of some kind of plan. She kept eyeing him for the rest of the class wondering what he was thinking, Draco looked quite thoughtful.

**"The Ultimate Argument"**

But no civilised conversations were heard between Hermione and Draco over the next few weeks, but that wasn't because they hadn't ran into each other, they did almost everyday and every single time there had been an argument, sometimes over little things like who had arrived to a certain spot in the grounds of Hogwarts to take Care of the Magical Creatures, but sometimes there had been some serious fights with some wand raising involved. But every time, Hermione had dealt with Draco alone, only one time had Ron been present, time in which he had almost hit Draco if Mc Gonagall hadn't arrive just in time to prevent it.

But one cold Wednesday morning of October, Hermione had decided to skip breakfast so she could finish a rather interesting booking she had been reading for a couple of days. She was sitting in the quiet spot at the end of the History of the Magic corridor, the same in which Draco had shut that book in the air a few weeks earlier, for some strange reason but ever since that had become her reading spot.

"I told you she would be here" said Harry to Ron when he spotted her sitting in the ground reading intently.

"Hermione come on or we are going to be late for Potions" said Ron to Hermione

"You go ahead, I'm almost finished here, I'll catch up with you in a minute" Said Hermione without even taking her eyes of the book.

"Hurry up, remember what McGonagall said about tardiness" said Harry. Hermione just nodded while she turned the page.

Harry and Ron left and five minutes later Hermione followed although she was running late, really late, she walked as fast as she could through the long corridors that were beginning to seem endless, she couldn't run because if she did and a teacher saw her, she could get into more trouble. "I should have listened to Ron and Harry" thought Hermione.

As she approached the classroom she also saw Draco walking rapidly toward it although he was coming in the opposite direction to her and it was very probable they would face each other at the door "Great!" thought Hermione "We haven't had our fight of the day"

As predicted they bumped into each other as they tried to pass through the door at the same time. Hermione's books, which she had been carrying in her hands, landed loudly in the floor near her and both of them had seriously bruised shoulders, as they had hit really hard on each other.

Hermione turned to see Draco "Of course I couldn't expect you to be a gentleman" said Hermione sounding cross and very loudly.

"I am a gentleman" answered Draco in a dignified tone and equally loud.

"Then you should let ladies go in first" continued Hermione

"I do let ladies go in first" answered Draco defiantly.

Hermione's eyes glowed with complete anger "What is that supposed to mean!!!"

Both of them were looking intently to each other's eyes with such hatred, that they hadn't realised they were being observed by a completely astonished group, and a very dangerously angry Snape.

"Hermione" said Neville with a timid and completely shaky voice, as he handed her books, that was the moment when Hermione realised the trouble she had just gotten into.

She turned to see the fuming Snape, his face was white, not a single shade of colour. No one, absolutely no one, in his fifteen years as a teacher had disregarded his authority in such a way. All the Gryffindors and Slytherins were holding their breathes as Snape started walking rapidly towards them. Draco and Hermione had just defied the most dreadful teacher in all Hogwarts, would they live to tell the tale?


	5. Chapter 5

**Snape Smiles**

Hermione was shaking, she had never seen Snape so angry, but Draco was feeling very calmed after all he had always got his way with Snape before, why should this be the exception.

"Sit!!! Now" Barked Snape, while he kept a penetrating look on both of them, Hermione was starting to have trouble breathing, she turned to look Harry and Ron; they had a gaze of complete terror in their faces, they were afraid of what might happen to their best friend.

Draco had intended to sit with Crabbe and Goyle but they were considerably far from where he was standing, and Snape seemed to be just a little bit angry with him so he sat next to Hermione in the nearest empty table.

"How dare you show me such disrespect!" his upper lip was trembling with anger. "You are of course grounded!" he said in an even more frightful voice, "…indefinitely" he added. "The two of you will stay after class to learn about your punishment!!"

Draco's eyes went wide open, had Snape just said "the two of you" that couldn't be right, he had probably misheard.

"Excuse me, sir" he said very politely "Did you just say "the two of you"?" Snape turned to see him with dangerously fuming eyes, Draco took that as a very firm "yes" but he still couldn't believe it. Had he just gotten detention from Snape, the teacher who had always favoured and complimented him, Draco was completely astonished. Snape turned and started walking back to his desk.

"Did you see what you got me into?" said Draco in a low but very angry voice.

"You started it" answered Hermione in something that was barely a whisper.

"No, you started it!!" said Draco raising his voice just a bit, but enough to make Snape go back to them, and he seemed to be more cross than before if that was possible.

Snape stared at them looking completely furious, when suddenly… he smiled at them. "This can't be good" thought a terrified Hermione. She had never seen Snape smile, and to see him smile in a situation like the one they were in, was a very bad omen. Hermione was preparing for the worst, but with Snape involved, the worst was a list of endless possibilities.

"It seems that you like chatting a lot, you must get along very well" said Snape in a tone full of irony, because he knew very well that they absolutely hated each other. "So I'm going to help you keep that beautiful friendship of yours" Snape was clearly enjoying the moment, although he was the only one. Both Draco and Hermione were completely petrified, while the rest of class was staring with their eyes with open.

"You'll sit in the empty table in front my desk" Snape pointed it "together all… year… long" he added slowly. Draco's jaw hit the floor and Hermione took her hands to her mouth. They were in complete disbelief of what they had just heard.

"Starting today, so move… now!" Snape said in his usual cold tone.

Draco and Hermione started walking really slowly towards the table, neither of them was in any rush of getting there.

"I don't have all day" barked Snape.

When they reached the table they sat as far as possible from each other. They practically took their notes of the day in the air so they wouldn't have to share the same table. Hermione's notes of the day were a mess, she was still in shock, trying to take in all the things that had just happened, needless to say that Snape enjoyed very much the rest of his class as he watched, Hermione and Draco act as toddlers doing one hell of a tantrum.

When the bell rang the first ones to leave the classroom were the two of them, and no one stood in their way because they feared getting hexed, they seemed dangerously mad. Crabbe and Goyle trailed after Draco, and once they had reached him they said nothing, they were too afraid to speak, they had never seen Draco this upset.

Ron and Harry went after Hermione who was walking extremely fast, they couldn't keep up to her pace.

"Hermione" yelled Harry in a fruitless attempt to make her slow down.

"All year!!" she screamed as she raised her arms in anger and desperation "All year!!"

"Hermione" yelled Ron trying to catch up with her. "Wait up"

But she didn't listen, she was to mad to listen. "This cannot be happening" her face was completely red and her cheeks were very hot "This cannot be happening" she kept repeating herself

"Hermione" said Ron and Harry together, as they grabbed her by her arms. "Sit" and they gently but firmly made her sit in a bench that was in the hallway, Harry sat besides her.

"It's only October" Hermione said at the verge of tears, she buried her face in her hands. Harry patted her in the back.

"Hermione I don't know what to say" said Harry as he tried to find something that could cheer her up. "We'll be in November pretty soon, and then just a few days of December before holidays, and well…you'll be with him in the second semester, but it will be only for a semester." finished Harry.

As good as Harry's intentions had been, they have worked quite the opposite, Hermione was feeling even more hopeless than before, and was looking like a complete and absolute wreck. Ron had never seen Hermione like that, and he started looking for Draco he felt like giving him a few punches, when suddenly Ron saw him pass by, along with Crabbe and Goyle.

"… and now I'm stuck with that mud-blood for the rest of the year" Draco said in a furious tone, to a frightened Crabbe and Goyle who were walking one step behind him, just as a precaution, they had learnt over the years that the best thing to do in those cases was to nod and agree with everything Draco said.

"Speaking of the devil" said Ron and without even thinking rushed to catch Draco, Harry tried to stop him but was unable to, he just watched Ron take Draco against the wall and point him with his wand, but was unable to hear what he was saying.

"Don't you even dare… you hurt her in anyway, and you'll regret it!!!" said Ron to Draco in a threatening voice that made Crabbe and Goyle run away instantly.

Draco was about to answer with some acid comment but instead he replied "You really love her, don't you?" in a relatively calmed tone.

In answer to this Ron pushed him harder against the wall, Draco eyed him triumphantly; he had obviously hit a nerve.

"I'm just warning you Malfoy!" said Ron and he let go off Draco, who tided up his wrinkled shirt and smirked before he walked away

Ron went back to Hermione; he knelt before her and started talking very coolly.

"I know that what happened was a terrible thing; but think of this" Ron paused and made special emphasis on the rest "you are not alone, Harry and I are here to support you" Harry nodded in agreement "we'll be there for you before potions, after potions, whenever you need it" he gave her a look of deep sweetness while he gently touched her face "so I don't want to see you sad anymore" he finished in a really comforting tone.

Hermione just threw her arms around Ron's neck and hold onto him tight really tight, and started to cry her eyes out, although she was not sure why. He had just made her feel safe and secure; with that look he had filled her heart with hope that things would be all right again; and she felt Ron so close to her…but yet so extremely far that it hurt too much.

**The Midterm**

Just a few days after Hermione and Draco quit their tantrum attitude; they had no choice they were going to be spending a lot of time together. They would arrive, take the class, try to do the less contact possible and then leave. But soon the everyday activity led them to some verbal contact.

"I didn't catch the last part…" said Draco unsurely; he hadn't been able to hear all the things that Snape had dictated.

"Um… sure" said Hermione rather nervously; Draco had never asked her anything before. She neared her parchment so he could read from it. Draco was astonished, her notes were impeccable.

"No wonder she's the best of the class" thought Draco. In several occasions Hermione had arrived from different classes, with either essays or tests in her hands and in most of them Draco had seen As just a couple of Bs but nothing lower. And he had to admit, but only to himself, he would die before admitting it to anyone else, he admired Hermione… a lot. He was a fair good student but he knew he would never be as good as she was, and that was why he very secretly looked up at her. But her brightness was very annoying sometimes since Hermione's hand was always raised when Snape made a question, not that Snape paid any attention to her but still she was always trying to answer; and that irritated Draco and he let Hermione notice it.

Their relationship was pretty cordial, very distant also but that was fine by them.

"The Midterm will be the last week of November" announced Snape to the dismay of everyone especially Neville. "The inevitable tragedy of every semester" continued Snape while he eyed Neville with a wicked look on his face.

"As every semester it will be a two-hour exam, the first hour for theory and the second for practice, but there will be a difference this year, in the practical part of the test" Snape paused and turned to see Hermione and Draco "look at the person sitting next to you, because you'll be doing the exam with that person" he finished clearly enjoying himself.

Draco and Hermione both rolled their eyes. "Great" said Draco irritated.

"It will cover everything we've seen till this class and I suggest that you starting studying today, because it is going to be difficult" Snape announced "Class Dismissed" He finished.

Draco and Hermione gave each other one final despise look before they took different paths. But as he walked towards Slytherin's common room, Draco was invaded with many thoughts. There was something in having Hermione sitting next to him that made him want to be the best in the class but fair and square without any kind of favouritisms. She had inspired in him a thirst to better himself that he had never experienced before. That's why he spent endless hours studying in the library; of course every time he hit the library he made sure Hermione wasn't around, he could not stand the thought of her seeing him cram so hard for that test.

**A Favour**

Hermione had been studying quite a long while when she decided to take a break; so she sat in the hearthrug in front of the fire and put Crookshanks in her lap when suddenly Ron appeared out of nowhere; he seemed a little bit nervous.

"Hermione" started Ron with a doubtful voice "can I ask you a favour" finished Ron with a slight frown in his face and for the tone in his voice Hermione was sure that she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear; but still she put the best smile she could find before answering.

"Sure, what's up?" said Hermione while she passed her hand through Crookshank's soft hair.

Ron knelt in front of the hearthrug "It's just that I promised Padma that we would take a walk around the grounds and well… I forgot that I had to do rounds tonight." Ron paused and looked up at Hermione "could you please cover for me tonight?"

This was the last thing Hermione had expected Ron to ask her; but she agreed.

"Sure, no problem" she answered in a very calmed tone that hinted some sadness but Ron didn't noticed it.

"Really… Thank you" Ron's face had just lightened up, his eyes were glowing. Hermione looked down at Crookshanks and kept passing her hand through his hair. "I'll make it up to you" said Ron in a relieved tone "See you later" Ron finished and rushed out through the Fat Lady's portrait.

Hermione waited half an hour before starting the rounds that Ron was supposed to do. The school was unusually quiet, no students out of bed, the portraits had gone to bed early, just a few ghosts wandering the school that was all.

Hermione looked out the window in the third corridor and started admiring the night sky that was beautiful and completely cloudless and starless the only thing she was able to see was half the moon that shined beautifully; Hermione smiled, but her smile was soon wiped out her face when she looked down; she saw Ron sitting in a bench and Padma leaned over his shoulder; she too seemed to be admiring the gorgeous sky.

Hermione felt so upset, but she didn't feel like crying, she felt like going down there and taking Padma away from Ron. She was so angry at her for being with him but was even angrier at Ron for choosing Padma and not her.

"It's been almost three months, get over it!" Hermione scolded herself pretty harshly and pretty loudly also

"Get over what?" asked a voice behind Hermione, she turned to find Draco standing behind her; she instinctively rolled her eyes.

"Go away" she said frostily; she really didn't feel like talking to him in that moment, she was so upset and the last thing she wanted was a fight.

Draco walked over to where she was and stared at her for a second and then he looked out the window for an answer. He saw Ron with Padma; he scowled, and turned back to see Hermione was he imaging things or….

"Don't tell me you are jealous of Padma" he said in a kind of mock voice. Hermione tried to say no, but her mouth couldn't get the words out, she just mumbled some incomprehensively syllables. Draco was beyond surprised by her reaction.

"You are!" Draco said in an amazed tone; he had not expected this, he knew that Ron liked Hermione because he had always been very obvious but she had never showed any signs of liking him back. Draco didn't know why but finding this out was making him feel weird, uncomfortable, he didn't like the fact that Hermione had a crush on Ron; although he wasn't sure why.

"You have such a bad taste" he said in a disgusted a voice.

"Look who's talking; Pansy Parkinson is a complete cow!" answered Hermione defensively. She knew Pansy and Draco had been together for quite a while.

"Shut up mud-blood" he said with a penetrating look in his eyes "you don't know anything about that"

"But I must say; you are the perfect match" she said with a very strong emphasis in "perfect match".

Draco had a dangerous look in his eyes, but Hermione was no longer afraid of it; she had seen it so many times before in there now countless fights that she was no longer intimidated by it. But this time she had also perceived something else, something she had never seen Draco's eyes before: hurt. Her words seemed to have hurt him. "No, that's not possible" she thought, because that would have meant that he actually had feelings. Hermione broke the eye contact between them and walked way and to her surprise Draco let her.

She walked back to the Gryffindor common room and sat in the hearthrug in front the fire and as much as Draco's attitude had surprised her, she soon had forgotten about it and started thinking of someone else when she was interrupted by Ginny.

"Dean is such a great guy" said Ginny about her boyfriend Dean Thomas as she sat in a chair near Hermione.

Hermione smiled broadly. "It's great to see you're over Harry" said Hermione truthfully

"Yeah well…" suddenly Ginny's tone was not as cheerful as when she had came in "Harry is with Parvati now, and then next who knows, perhaps Lavander, or I don't know some other girl" Ginny paused "he'll turn to see every single girl in the school but me" Ginny sighed heavily but after a moment she recovered her normal attitude "so why should I keep my hopes up if I know he'll never look at me" Ginny paused again "Plus Dean really cares about me, I think I may fall in love with him" Ginny's eyes glowed.

"Glad to see you moved on" said Hermione looking at Ginny

"And you… when are you going to move on?" said Ginny looking intently at Hermione. "Come on… I can tell you're thinking of my brother" Hermione would've liked to deny it but she couldn't.

"I really am trying… but the memories of us just keep coming to my head and I can't stop thinking of him" Hermione paused "Just now I was thinking of the first time I realised I had feelings for him" Ginny was very interested in hearing this "it was at the Yule Ball" Hermione paused "I was so secretly waiting for him to ask me, but of course how he could see me if Fleur Delacour was here!" said Hermione with a sudden raise in her voice when she mentioned Fleur

"Hermione you know perfectly well that Fleur was a simple infatuation nothing more" said Ginny

"Yes! But still he spoiled everything!" Hermione sounded really mad "Just asking me when he had no one else to go with". Hermione was really mad by now.

"Look I can't unravel my brother's thoughts and tell you why things happened the way they did but of one thing I'm sure; he loves you"

In that moment Ron entered the Common Room back from his walk with Padma. Hermione rolled her eyes when she saw him coming up to them.

"You know you are a complete fool" spat Ginny at her brother, the moment he approached.

Ron scowled he had absolutely no idea what Ginny was talking about. "What?!....Why?!" said Ron still surprised. But Ginny didn't answer she just shook her head and walked away to the girls dorms

"What's up with her?" asked Ron as he turned to see Hermione

"Nothing, don't mind her" said Hermione, Ron could sense some coldness in her tone. "I'm going to bed" finished Hermione in a clearly irritated tone. She stood up and followed Ginny into the girl's dorms leaving a puzzled Ron behind her.

**Studying for the Midterm**

A couple of days before the potion's midterm, the library was completely packed, clearly it was midterms time, the horror of every semester. The sounds of pages being rushed one after another were heard all over place along with the screeching of quills and very anguished whispers.

Hermione finally found an empty chair in a table near the window; she carefully laid all her books and her jacket, as she shook her head for the third time.

"No guys" she then turned to see Harry, Ron, Padma, and Parvati who had followed her into the library. "its midterms week and you are thinking of parties"

"Come on, it's my birthday, you don't turn sixteen everyday" said Padma very excited. Hermione looked deep into her eyes and for some reason she had the feeling that Padma actually wanted her to come.

"It can't hurt you to have fun for a little while" said Ron stepping forward.

"It'll just be for a couple of hours" added Harry persuasively

Hermione smiled, Harry was right she could spare a couple of hours of studying, after all, studying was what she had been doing all week long.

"So you'll come?" asked Padma kindly as she joined Ron and grabbed his hand. Hermione's smiled dropped instantly.

"No" she answered harshly. "I, unlike you, care about my grades, so if you excuse me I have to study" she finished very coldly and turned to sit rather roughly.

After she heard the last of their footsteps fade away, she buried her face in her hands and shook her head. She was feeling very guilty, why had she been so insensitive in her answer? They didn't deserve it, they were just trying to keep her mind off school by inviting her to a party. But the second she saw Padma hold Ron's hand she had felt so mad, that she wanted to take it out on Padma.

"I shouldn't have…" she whispered with deep regret "It's not her fault…"

"It's not whose fault?" said a cold voice at her right, Hermione turned and to her big and unpleasant surprise saw she was sitting beside Draco.

"Non of your business" she answered hastily.

"This has to do with Padma and weasel, doesn't it?" said Draco trying to look into Hermione's eyes, but she avoided him.

Hermione was about to stand up when she realised there wasn't any other free space to sit down in the whole library.

"Look I really need to study" she said quickly "So can you leave?"

"Leave?!" said Draco scowling "You leave, I was here first!"

"And what are you doing here anyway?" asked Hermione frowning slightly

Draco was about to open his mouth to answer when Crabbe appeared from behind.

"I finally found that potions book you were so desperately looking for" said Crabbe handing it to Draco. Draco's eyes suddenly filled with an unexpected rage.

"How dumb are you; you can't even bring me a simple book, I asked for "Fantastics Beasts and Where To Find Them"" said Draco furiously and standing up.

Hermione was surprised by the anger in Draco's voice; after all it was just a simple mistake.

"No you didn't, you asked for this one" said Crabbe sounding very secure of himself and trying to hand Draco the book again.

"No, I didn't" said Draco slowly and menacingly.

Crabbe eyed Draco with a puzzled look on his face, but after a minute of looking into Draco's fuming eyes he decided not to say another word about it and instead ran off to get the other book.

"I'm doing an essay" Draco said as he sat down again. But then there was an uneasy silence between them; suddenly Draco seemed to be nervous like if he couldn't find what to do with himself.

"But I'll do it some other time" said Draco and started to pack up his things. "I put up with you enough in potions, to put up with you here too"

If those words had come from Harry or Ron, it would've hurt Hermione deeply but as it was Draco's words, she didn't give them any weight at all. In fact she was happy he left so she could study. But it took her a long time to concentrate, her mind was still on Padma, she knew in her heart that it had not been Padma's fault that Ron had chosen her as his girlfriend and therefore she shouldn't mistreat her like that, but still she couldn't avoid feeling angry and jealous every time she held his hand or leaned over his shoulder… although she realised that she was no longer at the verge of tears whenever she saw them together she had moved on to another phase, a worse one, the anger phase, she was angry at both of them, and she didn't want feel that way, what happened happened, they were together now and she really wanted to be in the I-don't-care phase so she took a deep sigh and promised herself that was the way she was going to feel from that day on. With a little bit more of peace in her soul she started studying.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Midterm II**

So the day had finally come, it was time for the Potion's Midterm. All the students were standing outside Snape's dungeon in a remarkable ordered queue, most of them giving one last look at their notes. A few minutes later Snape let everyone in. All the students took their sits quietly and they immediately put their notes way without Snape even ordering it.

Snape gave one cold look to all the students in his classroom, before starting to hand out the examination sheets. Draco received his, and took a deep breath before starting to read the questions. He was ready for this, he knew by heart every single potion, its ingredients and the exact measure of them, time of brewing, any special care the potion needed. He tried to explain every single one of his answers to the fullest, he didn't remember answering an exam so thoroughly or so neatly in his life.

Draco finished ten minutes before the hour was over, out of the corner of his eye he peeked to see Hermione's test and he was pleased to see he had written just as much as she had.

"Accio tests" said Snape directing his wand towards the students without prior warning about the time being over and when many of them were still answering the exam. The parchments hit the air so fast that more than one quill flew into the air hitting people's heads and Neville's inkpot on their way to the floor.

"Now it's time of for the practical part" said Snape as he gently laid all the exams on his desk, and picked up the second examination paper, a mild whisper was heard while he handed it out.

Hermione eyes went wide open as she read what was on the parchment "The most powerful sleeping potion there is" she said

"The Draught of the Living Death" whispered Draco as his mind raced thinking of all the details in the brewing of the potion.

"Yes" said Hermione and started to cut the wormwood in little pieces very concentrated, she knew that one mistake in that potion could be fatal to anyone who would drink it and to her grade.

"You need any help with that?" asked Draco kindly.

"No" answered Hermione without taking her eyes from the wormwood.

Draco grabbed then the sopophorous bean and started cutting it to extract the juice of it. When he had the exact measure of juice, he decided to pour it inside the cauldron, when suddenly Hermione grabbed his arm.

"No!" she said "The wormwood has to go in first"

"Not necessarily, the juice can go first" he answered calmly.

"No, the wormwood has to go in first" she said stubbornly.

"Fine" said Draco scowling and waiting for her pour the little pieces of wormwood into the cauldron, when she finished he tried to pour the juice when Hermione stopped him again.

"Now what!" said Draco clearly irritated, he was starting to loose his patience.

"I have to see you took the right measurement" she said taking the cup away from him. "If you took less than required the potion will never gain the right consistency and if you took more-"

"…the potion will turn deep black" interrupted Draco clearly exasperated. He could not bear Hermione lecturing him about things he already knew.

"So did I pass the test?" asked Draco acidly, when he saw she had finished examining the measurement of the cup contents.

"Yes" answered Hermione indifferently as she began to pour it carefully into the cauldron.

When she finished she proceeded to produce one big flame under the cauldron with a swift movement of her wand. Draco took advantage of this to grab a bunch of asphodel roots that were laying on the table near Hermione. Draco was determined to put them in himself. When Hermione saw the asphodel in Draco's hand a look of complete horror appeared in her face.

"You are not going to throw them all into the-"

"Of course not; I'm not stupid-"

"You have to put them in one by one, it's the crucial ingredient," said Hermione as if it was a life or dead situation "and you only have to put in fi-"

"I know" Draco cut her off harshly and leaned over the cauldron, inside which the ingredients were beginning to boil and pink fumes were raising into the air.

"No, I'll do it" said Hermione and leaned over to take the asphodel off Draco's hands but he didn't let go of the roots.

"No, I'll do it" insisted Draco and pushed harder on the asphodel, the increasing hot fumes were hitting both of them in the face making them go pink and Hermione's hair to grow bushier.

"You'll ruin it" screamed Hermione frantically, fighting hard to take the roots of Draco's hands, this made many faces turn to see them.

"No, I won't" yelled Draco back, but Hermione gave such an unexpected hard pull on the roots that Draco lost his balance and in his attempt to regain it, he released his grip from the roots, but yet didn't achieve to maintain it and knocked over the cauldron toward Hermione who let go of the roots when saw the cauldron leaning toward her, and the roots fell inside the boiling and falling cauldron. An explosion was heard and thick dark gray fumes hit Hermione, she dismayed instantly.

"Back off everyone!" bellowed Snape.

Draco turned to see him, and he clearly saw fear in Snape's face, fear in the most self-controlled master at Hogwarts. A thrill of horror rushed through his body what had he caused. Snape walked toward the cloud of dark gray fumes but didn't enter, he muttered a spell and slowly the fumes started to vanish, when they were gone, he rushed over to Hermione, and checked for her pulse. Everyone was gathered around them, Neville was shaking uncontrollably, Parvati had her hands clapped into her mouth, and both Ron and Harry were looking as enraged at the same extent as they seemed frightened. Snape carried Hermione in his arms.

"Back to work!" yelled Snape furiously "And I don't want to find another stupidity like this when I come back" shouted Snape in a clear mix of fury and fear.

The minute Snape was out the door, Ron forgot all about wands and tried to punch Draco but Harry along with Dean, grabbed him by the arms.

"What did you do to her?" demanded Ron angrily and fighting to release himself from Dean and Harry's grip. "I warned you Malfoy and you'll-"

As loud as Ron was shouting Draco didn't hear a single word of what he was saying, he was much to frightened. What had just happened? What had a stupid fight caused?

"You are all right" said all of the sudden a girl's voice that took Draco out of his thoughts, it was Pansy. He nodded slightly at the look of her terrified face. She threw her arms around his neck and hold onto him very tight, Draco softly patted her back, he could feel her agitated breathing. Then he gently pulled her away of him, Pansy didn't want to let go.

"Don't worry, I'm fine" said Draco taking both of her hands and looking deep into her eyes. He was trying to calm her down, her freaking out was not going to help things. "Go finish your potion" said Draco, no one had ever heard him address anyone with such sweetness.

"Why aren't you all working?" snapped an infuriated Snape as he walked back into the classroom, everyone jumped and rushed back to their cauldrons, whispering all the way. Draco looked up to Snape who was now standing right beside him

"Out!" demanded Snape. Draco walked out the door, Snape followed, but as he reached the door he turned to see the whole classroom, it was clear that no one was focused on their potion anymore. Neville's hand was trembling uncontrollably as he poured spider's blood, Parvati couldn't get a flame strong enough for her potion, Dean was cutting pieces of woodword larger than they should be, Harry was arguing with Ron; Snape knew that another mistake like that and…but yet he didn't know how to warn them without sounding to concerned…

"One more stupid mistake… and EVERYONE will fail the midterm" said Snape with a very slight hint of worry. "Is that clear!" he finished sounding very firm. Indistinct murmurs of acceptance were heard.

"What happened with the asphodel?" asked Snape to Draco once they were out of earshot.

"She… I… we were fighting over who would put in the roots… and they accidentally fell into the cauldron"

"How many roots fell into the cauldron?" said Snape trying to sound calmed

"15" said Draco quietly as he stared at the floor

"Three times the required quantity!" said Snape fuming "If you studied as much as I hope you did you must know that with that quantity of asphodel the mere breathing of the smokes of the potion can be lethal!" continued Snape "You could've killed her!" said Snape trying to knock some sense into Draco "KILLED HER!"

Draco began shaking uncontrollably, Hermione could be dead and it would be his fault, he would've killed someone "But she's going to be alright?" interrupted Draco frantically, his heart was pounding very fast; he could feel fear run in his veins.

"Madame Pomfrey is not sure yet, she's given her an antidote to try and stop the effect and keeping her from falling into a coma" Snape made a short pause "She's still not out of danger" continued Snape without being able to hide his concern.

"Do you realise that you're immature fight could've caused her death" said Snape in a more calmed voice but with some bitterness "Believe me… you don't want to know what it feels like to carry someone's death in your soul" His words were full of deep remorse, it was clear he was talking of his own experience.

The bell rang. "Go to Slytherin common room" said Snape in a rare calmed tone but with a distinct tone of sadness and turned to walk back into the classroom. He collected bottles with half-made potions with a lost stare; Lily's and James' deaths were a very heavy burden he had to carry everyday.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Days That Followed**

A couple of days after the incident Draco still had not set a foot in the infirmary, he hadn't had the courage, there was always a Weasley member of the family with her, most of the time Mrs. Weasley. She had come to her side the moment she heard what happened, Hermione was like a daughter to her. Owls were sent to Hermione's parents but the owls returned without being able to deliver Dumbledore's urgent messages; for some strange reason Hermione's parents were nowhere to be found.

Of course Draco had Crabbe and Goyle spying so he could find out about her condition but still the same prognosis "Still not out of danger" there was a palpable chance she could die. This took Draco's sleep at night; the thought of Hermione being dead because of him was more than he could take. That's why when the third day became night, he decided he would go see her, he had to.

He silently snuck out Slytherin's common room and started walking towards the infirmary but when he was a hall away he heard a voice that appeared to be just a few feet away from him, he discretely looked down the hall, and he could clearly see Ron who apparently was having a fight with Padma. Draco knew he had to wait for them to leave if he didn't want to be seen, quite a big obstacle for him, but he knew that to have a clear path all the way to the infirmary would've been just too easy.

"I have to go see Hermione" said Ron in a desperate voice as he tried to disengage from Padma's hand

"But Ron, you have been there every single minute of the last three days" said Padma at the verge of tears "I'm just asking you for half an hour"

"Padma she was an inch from death, she still is" insisted Ron in one more attempt to release his hand from Padma's

"I know, I know, and I hope she recovers but..." said Padma as a few tears started run down her face "it's always like this, sick or not, she always comes first, and if it's not her it's Harry or Ginny..." continued Padma sounding quite desperate and crying

"Ginny is my sister!" said Ron raising his voice and frowning

"And I'm your girlfriend!" yelled Padma "and still everything and everyone is more important than me!" her voice reflected a deep sadness

"That's not true!" said Ron very quickly

"Really?" said Padma defiantly "I'm not a second to the quaffle?" she finished bitterly

"Look Padma if you want more time, we'll spend more time together" said Ron as he disengaged from Padma's hand with a final pull "as soon as Hermione gets better" Padma started to cry her eyes out "I have to go now" he finished and walked away very fast as if he was trying to run away from the scene behind him

"You didn't answer my question" mumbled Padma in between tears.

Draco felt sorry for her, for Ron's attitude he could tell that in fact she _was_ a second to the quaffle.

Padma walked right beside him, but she was staring at the floor and didn't notice his presence, again the hall was free, Draco hurried to the door of the infirmary that to his luck was half open and he could get a peek of what was happening inside.

Mrs Weasley had fallen asleep in the chair at the left of Hermione's bed, Ron was standing on the right side of the bed holding her hand watching her sleep, she looked like angel, if it wasn't because she was so pale and her hair so unusually sleek no one could say there was something wrong with her.

Ron started remembering all the moments they had lived together, when they first met on the train, when she was paralysed by the basilisk, how they had made up after their fight in their third year, how beautiful she looked in the Yule Ball, the look on her face when he had given her that locket on her birthday barely a few months ago. They had been through so much, they had grown up together.

"Hermione, don't leave me" mumbled Ron as he stroke her hair "You can fight this" he said a little bit more loudly "Do it for me" he said again whispering

Ron words had worked some kind of spell because Hermione started to wake up, Ron released her hand, his face was a mix of amazement and relief although his relief could not compare to Draco's; he felt he could breathe again.

Hermione took both of her hands to her head "My head hurts so much" she mumbled "What happened?" Mrs Weasley woke up to the sound of Hermione's voice and immediately turned to her side.

"Sweetie, what's the last thing you remember" said Mrs Weasley affectionately

"I was doing the Potions exam and..." suddenly Hermione's eyes went wide open "Oh my God!" she sat instantly "I'M GOING TO FAIL POTIONS!" Mrs Weasley laughed she knew now that Hermione would be all right "I have to go talk to Snape" she stood up as quickly as she could but the moment she tried to walk she almost fainted, Ron caught her "I'm so dizzy" she mumbled as she leaned her head over Ron's shoulder.

"Of course you are" said Ron reprovingly. How could Hermione be thinking about a grade when she had been so close to death, she really, really needed to sort out her priorities. He sat her down on the bed. "Yes, but not now"

"But my grade..." Hermione protested, Ron rolled his eyes she could be so stubborn at times. "Hermione what happened was very serious, you could've..." he really didn't want to finish that sentence. "You have to recover first, you understand!" said Ron in a bossy tone Hermione had never heard, but she knew he was right so she nodded and smiled at him, a sick smile but a smile. "You're very important to us Hermione" finished Ron as he touched her cheek. "Now rest" She obeyed him and laid in the bed.

Draco had seen enough, he knew that Ron would be out any second and the last thing he needed was to run into him, so with a renewed peace in his heart he started to walk back to Slytherin's common room. As he walked back, Ron and Padma's fight came back to his head. How was his situation with Pansy in relation with Ron and Padma's? Well she certainly was more important than Crabbe and Goyle, but was she more important than Quidditch?... The fact that he had just hesitated about it, was a bad sign, so he decided he would pay more attention to Pansy, he didn't want a scene just like the one Padma had made Ron, so with that purpose in his mind he went to sleep and had the best sleep he had had for months.

**The Make-Up Exam**

A week later Hermione was ready to re-incorporate Hogwart's daily life and to do the make-up potions exam that according to Dumbledore, Snape had very willingly accepted to do for her and Draco.

She walked down the staircase to find Ron and Harry waiting for her, she smiled at them; the traces of her ever being sick were almost gone, she wasn't pale anymore and her hair was as bushy as always.

"Glad to see you're back" said Harry

"Thanks" said Hermione

"Hermione, what happened that day?" asked Ron sounding very intrigued

"I'm late for the make-up" said Hermione quickly and trying to move pass them

"No, we're not letting you go until you tell us what happened" said Harry as he grabbed Hermione's arm preventing her to leave.

"What did Malfoy do to you?" said Ron hardening his voice and frowning

"He um…" now that she thought about it, he hadn't done anything, at least not on purpose "didn't do anything" she said with a small frown in her face

"Why are you protecting him?" interrupted Harry angrily

"I'm not!" said Hermione hastily "We… I" she couldn't find the words to explain how such a silly thing had become in such a life-threatening situation.

"The roots felt in the cauldron, there" she said and tried to move pass them again but they stood in their way "Fine, we had a little argument"

"Little!" said Ron and Harry at the same time

"It was stupid really…" her face was starting to redden "I didn't want him to put the roots in the cauldron" she said remembering the incident "or do anything else" whispered Hermione more to herself than to Harry and Ron "and we began to fight over who would put them in and they accidentally fell into the cauldron" she finished

"He didn't throw them on purpose?" asked Ron looking deep into her eyes.

"No! He didn't!" answered Hermione very loudly. Harry gave her a weird look in his opinion she had just defended Draco with too much passion

"If you say it was an accident" said Ron sounding very upset and in disbelief but not looking at her anymore

"It was!" yelled Hermione once more

"Fine!" said Harry also sounding upset. And they cleared her path.

Hermione left the common room and started walking towards Snape's dungeon feeling really bad for talking like that to Ron and Harry but they had pushed on the theme too much.

She arrived to the dungeon but didn't knock because Snape had instantly opened the door as if he already knew she was there. She came in, the place looked even more creepy and cold than usual. Draco was already there so she joined him.

"The potion you will be making is _Amortentia_" something near to a smile appeared in Snape's face "You will fall madly in love with each other if you mess it up" he seem to be enjoying the moment "your call" he finished sharply and went back to his desk where he tried to grade some of the mid-terms exams, but he couldn't, he was much to worried, he couldn't help it. He knew there was no potential danger in the potion he had given them, but still he feared, how could he not fear after what had happened. He had grown fond of Draco and he wouldn't be able to bear see his life destroyed over such a stupid thing. And Hermione, as annoying as she could be, was, although he would never admit in public, the best student he had had in all his teaching years.

Hermione and Draco looked at each other for a second, they were agreeing on what to do telepathically. They took out all the ingredients and started cutting them, Draco was surprised Hermione had let him, but if she hadn't this time he wouldn't have objected. He even threw in the first ingredient and Hermione didn't even turned to look if it was the right one or if it was in the correct amount, Draco was completely astonished.

Although Hermione did preoccupy every time Draco threw something into the cauldron, she knew she couldn't stop him and do everything by herself, it wasn't right. She was sure Draco would do things to the best of his abilities; it was his grade too, although she knew she cared much more about it than he did.

They were finished, the only thing to do was wait a couple of minutes so the potion would heat up and acquire its mother-of-pearl sheen. Suddenly Hermione and Draco didn't have anything to do but to stare at each other.

Draco wanted to apologise but didn't know how, he had never done it, well never done it and really meant it. "Hermione… I" and without realising he had called her by her first name for the first time in his life "I wanted to…"

"No, I shouldn't…" interrupted Hermione she wanted to apologise too "I mean I wasn't…"

"I didn't…" interrupted again Draco "I…" getting the words out was a difficult thing to do.

"Quiet!" interrupted Snape loudly "Are you two done yet?" asked Snape harshly as he stood up. The two of them looked at the cauldron

"Yes we are sir" said Hermione more respectfully than usual, as she saw the mother-of-pearl sheen and the steam rising in spirals.

She stepped aside from the cauldron and so did Draco. Snape looked over to the cauldron and analysed its contents carefully then he looked back at them.

"You can go now" said Snape barely looking at them and turning back to the potion. Hermione opened her mouth she was going to ask about her grade, she could not stay all the Christmas Holidays without knowing it, but Draco shook his head like if he had read Hermione's mind and knew what she was about to do. Hermione restrained herself she knew Draco was right; to leave the classroom in complete silence was the best thing to do.

When they reached the hallway Hermione gave him a quick look and started walking back to Gryffindor's common room.

"Hermione" Draco called her up; she stopped and turned to see him.

"I didn't mean to hurt y…"

"There you are" interrupted Pansy as she approached Draco. She grabbed Draco's hand as she gave Hermione a despise look but Hermione didn't even turn to look at her.

"I know" said Hermione with a weak smile, Draco almost smiled too but then he felt Pansy's hand squeezing his and turned to see her instead. He grabbed her by the waste and started kissing her, with a lot passion. Hermione frowned, she found it very disgusting. She turned and continued walking towards Gryffindor's common room, shaking her head several times with the purpose of taking the image of Pansy and Draco making out.

**A Christmas Scandal**

Although the Christmas vacations had started Hogwarts was as full as always, the reason, given the circumstances Hogwarts was safer than any of the students' houses. But despite the dark conditions that were forcing everyone to stay, Hogwarts was a joyful place, happy faces and laughs were seen and heard everywhere.

Hermione had not seen Draco during those days; she had been hanging out a lot with Ron, Harry and the Patil twins, and was happy to see that her discomfort around Padma was diminishing, a couple of minor fits of jealousy had happened but nothing big. Basically they had been happy days; the happier she had had since they had gone back to school, however she had this very subtle feeling that there was something missing, something she lacked, but she couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

Dumbledore seized the opportunity of having all of his students to throw the most memorable Christmas party in Hogwarts history; with a Christmas tree the size of Hagrid, mistletoe, Christmas carols, and the most exquisite dinner ever; and both girls and boys wore their most beautiful formal gowns to the event.

Dinner was delicious, house elves had given their best, they wanted to please Dumbledore more than ever because they knew how important this was to him; he was trying and succeeding to keep a good vibe in spite of the dark events surrounding them. Dinner wasn't over yet when the Weird Sisters started playing and without hesitation more than half the students had stood up to dance; including Ron, Harry and the Patil twins.

"I'll be right back" said Dean Thomas quickly and rushed from the table in which he had been sitting with Ginny and Hermione.

"Where's is he going with such a hurry" asked Hermione with a slight frown to Ginny

Ginny took a sip of her pumpkin juice. "He's probably going to the owlery" Hermione frowned even more "Wood wrote a couple of weeks ago promising the guys autographed shirts, of apparently very famous French Quidditch Players as Christmas gifts and Dean hasn't stopped talking about it ever since, so I figure he went to see if Wood's owl has arrived"

"It's nice to see things are working between the two of you" said Hermione smiling

"Yeah well…" said Ginny taking another sip of her pumpkin juice

"Yeah well… what?" said Hermione whose expression had become serious

"He's great and everything but…" started Ginny

"But?" said Hermione expectantly

"But he can be very asphyxiating" said Ginny frowning "He wants to know what I do every hour of every day, if I'm five minutes late for a date he immediately asks where I was, what I was doing, with whom, plus…" Ginny paused "he always treats like I'm a little girl, like I'm not capable to look after myself and that's really getting to me"

"He just wants to protect you with everything that's happening" interrupted Hermione

"I know and I appreciate it but still" Ginny paused again "this has to stop"

"Have you talked to him about this?" asked Hermione

"Yes and he said he'll change and he better do or…" Ginny stopped

"Or?" asked Hermione, knowing what the next phrase would be.

Ginny sighed "Or it's over" she paused "I don't want it to be but…"

Suddenly yelling was heard in a table not far from where Ginny and Hermione were sitting, it was Draco's voice.

"NO PANSY, UNDERSTAND… THIS CAN'T GO ON!" He said as he disengaged from Pansy's arms "NOT ANYMORE"

"But why" said Pansy crying "I love you Draco!" trying once more to put her arms around him

"BUT I DON'T!" said Draco very sharply and loudly. This time he didn't have to take Pansy's arms from around his neck; she took them off immediately after that statement. Draco sighed. Pansy was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably.

"Look Pansy…" said Draco sweetly as he tried to raise her head but couldn't she was staring fixedly at the floor where many, many tears were falling "you don't love me, you think you do but you don't"

"I do" whispered Pansy without looking at Draco

"No you don't, you'll see, you'll realise that is just a… make-believe" said Draco trying to knock some sense into her. Pansy continued crying her eyes out. "I'm sorry but that's the way it is" finished Draco loosing the sweetness in the voice.

He stood up and left, he passed Ginny and Hermione in his way out but didn't turn to see them, still Hermione could tell by his eyes that no matter the hard expression in his face he was as sad and as hurt as Pansy. Goyle took Pansy into his arms but didn't say a word just stroke her hair, a couple minutes later a Slytherin girl took Pansy's hand and led her out of the room. As they left, the high music that had been playing while the argument, and that had distracted all the dancing students from the terrible scene between Draco and Pansy, was changing into a romantic slow dance.


	8. Chapter 8

**A Christmas Scandal Part II**

Ginny and Hermione turned to see each other; it had been quite a scandal. "Poor Draco" said Hermione earnestly

"Poor Draco!" exclaimed Ginny frowning "He just humiliated her in front of everyone!" continued Ginny sharply "Although she probably deserved it" finished Ginny and she took another sip of pumpkin juice

"Ginny!" exclaimed this time Hermione

"What?" said Ginny as she put down the goblet and turned to see Hermione "Are you going to tell me you really care about what happens to those two"

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. "Let's talk about something else shall we" said Hermione quickly to break the awkwardness between them.

"Sure" said Ginny, who already had a new topic in mind. "Why didn't you bring a date, I heard many Ravenclaws were interested"

"Just one, not many" said Hermione blushing slightly. "But no thanks after McLaggen I learned that better alone that in bad company" she said very convinced

Ginny laughed "Come on not everyone is like him, I'm sure that "one" Ravenclaw is more agreeable than McLaggen, don't you think?" Ginny finished expecting a confirmation but Hermione was to busy looking at Padma and Ron, who were kissing.

"Hermione" said Ginny as she touched her shoulder

"What" said Hermione turning to see Ginny

"You were staring at them" said Ginny

"I know" said Hermione very slowly and shaking her head "Shouldn't… I know"

"Exactly" said Ginny smiling "Have a piece of pumpkin pie" finished Ginny as she tried to hand Hermione a plate with a slice.

"No way" said Hermione recovering her normal voice

"Why?" asked a surprised Ginny looking at the pie for something strange.

"Because I saw your brother around the pumpkin pie earlier" said Hermione very matter-of-factly

Ginny smirked. "What brother? I have five" finished Ginny looking at Hermione

"Right" said Hermione with a small laugh "Fred"

"Oh" said Ginny giving a second thought to the pie "But it looks so delicious" she looked back at the plate "I don't think they've done anything to it" said Ginny with a voice that tried to sound convincing

"Really?" asked Hermione rhetorically

"I'll have a bite and you tell me if my face suddenly starts growing hair or something" said Ginny briskly; the pie was just too irresistible to her.

"Ok" said Hermione as she looked out of the corner of her eye towards Ron and Padma

"Don't stare at them!" said Ginny as she bitted the pie

Hermione rolled her eyes "I wasn't staring I was just looking at them dance and try to feel nothing like when you look at Parvati and Harry you don't feel anything do you?"

"Of course I do!" said Ginny very bluntly "Do you think is nice to see her dance with him, leaning her head in his shoulder, it kills me… I'm the one who should be in her place" Hermione's jaw dropped, what had just happened.

"I thought…" paused Hermione "Don't you like Dean?" said Hermione in a combination of intrigue and surprise along with a very confused look.

"Of course I like him but not in the way I like Harry!" said Ginny rather sharply. Hermione's eyes went wide open

"Weren't you over him?" said Hermione urgently; what was going on.

"No! I have never given up on him! I'm …"

"Ginny what's wrong with you?" interrupted Hermione desperately and shaking her head, suddenly she saw the pumpkin pie, she then turned to see Ginny and comprehension dawned upon her, the twins had somehow managed to put Veritaserum into the pie, surely they would find it very amusing if everyone talked with the blunt truth to everything they were asked.

"It has Veritaserum" said Hermione in a trance kind of voice staring at the pie "The pie has Veritaserum" she said in a more normal voice addressing a now terrified Ginny.

Ginny clapped her hands to her mouth she just realised what was the extent of the things she had just said, not to mention that she was bright red. And to make things worst Harry and Parvati were apparently tired of dancing and walking towards the table. Harry frowned as he approached them; the girls were looking at him as if he was the devil or what's the same Lord Voldemort.

"Ginny is everything…" started Harry looking intently at her; Hermione's eyes went wide open again; she couldn't let him finish that question because if he did the consequences would be catastrophic. Ginny would tell him that it wasn't ok because she was still in love with him and that she hated seeing him with Parvati.

"We're fine" said Hermione interrupting abruptly "We're terrific" she added standing up and grabbing a petrified Ginny by the arm "We are just a bit tired" and she started to walk a few steps away from them dragging Ginny with her. Harry looked beyond confused and tried to ask another question but Hermione cut him off immediately.

Hermione was ready to start running out of there, but she had to warn Harry about the pie. "Em Harry the pie" Hermione paused what was she going to say "you'll get food poison if you eat it" she said the first thing that came to her mind

Harry and Parvati turned to see the pie "What?" they both said at the same time

"Don't eat it and don't let anyone eat it!" said Hermione sharply.

"What?" repeated Harrry

"Just do it!" said Hermione giving Harry a sharp look "I'm serious" and after one more threatening look she gave her back to the extremely perplexed Harry and Parvati, and started running along with Ginny and they didn't stop until they reached the girls dorms in Gryffindor's tower.

Once there Ginny hugged Hermione. "Thanks you saved my life" said Ginny earnestly as she detached herself from Hermione

"Any time" said Hermione smiling

"Look, what I said…" started Ginny

"Don't talk now" said Hermione comprehensively, Ginny was extremely vulnerable and she didn't want to take advantage on that, she wanted to know only what Ginny wanted to disclose without the effect of some potion "the effect should disappear in a couple of hours" continued Hermione looking at Ginny who was still very red in the face. "The twins really crossed the line this time" she said reprovingly as she shook her head once more.

Ginny sat on her bed. Hermione looked out the window.

"I think I'm going to take a walk" said Hermione after a couple of minutes. "But without this high heels… they are killing me" she said casually as she sat on the bed besides Ginny. Hermione took of her high heels and changed into sneakers.

"Hey don't forget your jacket" said Ginny and she threw it to Hermione who was just about to leave the room "It's freezing out there" added Ginny. Hermione caught the jacket and gave Ginny one final smile before she left the room.

**After the Scandal**

Hermione was walking around the grounds without any real direction, when she spotted Draco sitting in one of the swings. Hermione approached the swings and sat in the one next to him but didn't say a word. She looked at him, for the first time in all the years she had known him; he seemed vulnerable. He had a completely lost stare.

"Hey" whispered Hermione. Draco turned to see her but didn't say a thing; his eyes reflected an indescribable sadness. "I'm sorry that it ended that way" Draco shrugged "You and Pansy really seemed to have something very strong" said Hermione earnestly; somehow she had never pictured Draco without Pansy, they had seemed since the very beginning like a perfect match.

Draco laughed hard; this took Hermione by surprise and was now staring at him.

"The match was made when we were 5 years old" said Draco bitterly "So we both knew that at some point we just had to get together, there was no room for no one else, there couldn't be, so the night of the Yule Ball I just asked her to be my girlfriend" Draco paused as he remembered that night "the destiny had to be fulfilled" he paused again but when he resumed his voice was filled of sadness "and I tried, I really did, I wanted to love her, I had to love her but I couldn't" Draco paused again but when he continued he did it in a more normal way "I know that she says she loves me, but she doesn't, she just wants to believe it because she knows she has too" said Draco trying in some way to justify her behaviour towards Pansy.

Hermione listened to Draco's confession quietly she didn't know what to say to make it better.

"I don't think we are even really friends" continued Draco "I don't think I have friends at all"

"What are you talking about" interrupted Hermione "You have Crabbe and Goyle" Draco laughed again

"Them" said Draco shaking his head, "they know they have to be with me at my service, just as their fathers are to my father" continued Draco bitterly "but they are no friends too me, in fact I don't think they like me very much, that's ok I don't like them much also" he shrugged "but that's the way it has to be, we have to be like our fathers, we are supposed to followed their footsteps and become death eaters at the service of…"

Draco stopped, suddenly he had come of the trance that had made him tell Hermione all those things, what was he doing confiding in her his secrets, he blushed slightly and looked away from her. Hermione on the other hand, didn't know what to do; certainly she had never expected the confession to go to that extent. They both started swinging as they had nothing else to do with themselves.

Draco leapt out of his swing "I'm going to hogsmeade, it's really beautiful this time of the year" a small smile appeared in his face and without even realising he asked Hermione to accompany him.

"But we are not supposed to leave the school, plus dementors are surely surrounding hogsmeade" said Hermione in response to his question

"There won't be any dementors" said Draco very matter of factly

"How do you know?" inquired Hermione

"I have my sources" answered Draco as he started to walk away

"Of course you are death eater's son" said Hermione to herself "I'm going to regret this" she thought as she leapt of her swing to join Draco.

There was a gigantic tree full of snow at the entrance of hogsmeade and kids were running all around it, the stores were full with smiling people and "merry x-mas and happy new year" was written in every store window and as Draco had said there were no dementors, everything was joy, no matter the dark circumstances.

Draco and Hermione stopped before a choir that was performing some Christmas carols, they walked by the ice rink and watched people skate, and they also looked a large group of kids having a major snow fight.

"It's really beautiful" said Hermione as they were about to leave hogsmeade; they had not said a word to each other since they had left Hogwarts.

"Yes it is, I come every year with my…" Draco stopped, he really didn't want to remember, much less mention, his family "I come here every year" Draco rephrased.

Suddenly a young man with flowers approached them "Here have this" and he tried to hand Draco a beautiful artificial blue flower "for your lovely girlfriend"

Hermione and Draco jumped a foot in the opposite direction of each other and immediately stated that they were not a couple.

"Oh!" said the young man "still, have this" and he handed the flower to Hermione "beautiful young lady"

She accepted the flower but with a terrified look in her face, a look that didn't disappear in all her way back to Hogwarts, it had been that last statement that had really brought her back to her senses. What had she been doing? Escaping with Draco from Hogwarts; risking detention for him. And she was not the only one; Draco was also rethinking his acts of that night what could've possibly been going on in his mind to ask her to accompany him.

When they were finally back in Hogwarts safe, undiscovered and ready to go different ways, Hermione spoke

"It's probably better that we don't tell anyone about this" Hermione could see in her mind the faces of the fuming Ron and Harry if they ever found about their little adventure.

"Yes, it's better if people don't know about it" said Draco trying to sound casual as he imagined too the scandal in the Slytherin house if they ever found about it.

They were both blushing terribly and parted different ways without even saying good-bye. To Hermione's good fortune everyone was asleep when she arrived to the girls dorms and she could stash the guilty proof of her time with the Draco (the blue flower) under the bed without problem.


	9. Chapter 9

**The assignment**

Classes were resumed the first Monday after New Year. Draco and Hermione had not seen each other since their little trip to hogsmeade, they had carefully been avoiding each other.

"Hey" said Hermione casually as she sat beside him, but barely looked at him.

"Hi" said Draco having more eye contact with her, she had a timid smile

There was an awkward silence between them, they didn't really know how to act after what happened, but their awkward silence didn't last long.

"Your midterm grades are the worst I've seen in all my teaching years" was Snape's welcome back speech to the class. He started to hand out the exams, Hermione and Draco had gotten an A, in the practical part of the exam (the Amortentia) and they had both gotten A+ in the theory part of the exam, they were both really happy especially after Snape's speech that unfortunately was true for the rest of the class.

"We are a great team" said Draco without even realising it.

"Yes we are" answered Hermione, remembering how they had prepared the Amortentia.

"In an attempt of getting some knowledge in those stubborn heads of yours" said Snape coldly "with the team with which you made the practical part of the exam, you'll make a summary, at least 20 pages long, of all the things that we saw this semester" Snape paused, he had saved the best for last "due tomorrow"

A general discontent was heard. "But sir" interrupted Dean Thomas "the class tomorrow is at 7 am and it's almost lunch"

"Then I suggest you skip lunch Mr. Thomas" said Snape clearly enjoying the moment. "Class dismissed" barked Snape, and he started to walk back to his desk and when he was almost there, Draco dared to stop him.

"Sir, do we have to do it too" said as he pointed both Hermione and him "we aced the exams so perhaps we could be excluded of the assignment"

"The whole class will turn in this assignment tomorrow at 7 a.m" said Snape with a clear hint of anger in his voice and continued to walk towards his desk.

Draco gave Hermione an at-least-I-tried look and both of them walked outside. "I have to do some Divination homework so perhaps we could meet at the library around 7 p.m" said Draco to Hermione while standing outside the dungeons.

"Yes, I have to do ancient runes homework so it's perfect" said Hermione

"See you then" said Draco and he parted to join a group of Slytherins. Hermione joined Ron and Harry, Ron was fuming and saying all kinds of stuff about Snape, but Harry seemed to be absentminded, he seemed a thousand miles away.

"Harry are you ok?" asked Hermione. Harry didn't answer; Hermione gave Ron an enquiring look.

"Parvati broke up with him" said Ron

"She said that she couldn't deal with so much attention anymore, that it was better if we went different ways" said Harry sounding sad. Hermione patted him in the back "but I really don't want to talk about it, let's go to lunch and then do that horrendous amount of work that Snape wants" finished Harry and he started to walk faster, Hermione and Ron followed him and didn't say a word, they respected his wish of not talking about it.

At 7 p.m sharp Hermione met Draco and they started to work on the summary, they would decide what were the important points of a potion and then Draco would dictate Hermione, she was in charge of the writing since her letter was completely legible and neat while Draco's, not so much.

But hours started to pass and the bunch of pages to summarize weren't decreasing fast enough, around midnight half the students were out of the library, they didn't really care much about their grade they preferred a good night sleep, about two o'clock another big bunch left, among them were Harry and Ron.

"I'm so tired" complained Draco

"But we have to finish" said Hermione sounding bossy

"But I'm so tired, I don't understand how you can still write so neatly at two o'clock in the morning" Hermione writing was impeccable it didn't look like if she was tired of writing after 6 hours. Draco's head hit the table and he pretended to snore.

"Oh come on" said Hermione "we'll finish soon"

"Promise" said Draco lifting his head

"Promise" said Hermione and she smiled at him "now let's continue" Draco recovered his usual position and continued to dictate.

At 3:30 am they were finished, Snape would be more than pleased, they had written for 26 pages.

"Finally" said Hermione as she put together her books and notes of the class. Hermione yawned as she stood up, she was really tired. She had given a couple of steps when she turned to see Draco who hadn't stood up yet.

"I'm to tired to stand up" said Draco shaking his head and giving his words a sense of joke

Hermione smirked "Don't be such a baby" and she extended her hand, he grabbed it and stood up.

They were walking out the library when they spotted one of the still remaining couples, although they weren't exactly working they were more like making out, they were Crabbe and Pansy.

Hermione turned to see Draco who was looking at them. "I'm so sorry" she said earnestly

"Don't be, she will be happier with him than she ever was with me" said Draco very convinced of his words "I'm happy she found someone, somehow that takes some guilt off my chest for breaking up with her like that, it was…" Draco shook his head, he felt remorseful for the way things had gone down "it was wrong" he finished. "But anyway" he said in more casual tone and resuming his walk towards the library's exit "I'll guess I'll see you in a few hours" he said when they were both standing outside the library, they both laughed and then parted opposite directions to their corresponding dorm rooms to try and catch some sleep.

**A few hours later **

At 7 sharp many sleepy pupils were arriving to the dungeons, and many more arrived running several minutes late but were relieved to see that Snape had not yet arrived, extremely odd, because he was always extremely punctual.

Draco who had barely slept, had been the very first to arrive, arriving 3 minutes before seven, and Hermione had arrived just in time at sharp 7 as she always did for all her seven morning classes, but she looked terribly tired, her hair was bushier than Draco had ever seen before, and she was very lazily carrying her backpack.

"Good morning" she said yawning to Draco, who was looking at her with intense tenderness.

"Good morning" he responded "Snape is not here yet" he continued, stating the obvious. Hermione slowly took the 26 pages of parchment out of her backpack and gave them to Draco, with a you-are-in-charge-now look and then she rested her head on the desk.

At half past seven all the pupils were there, but not Snape, many like Neville and Lavender Brown were sleeping in their benches and many others like Harry, Ron and Dean Thomas were talking loudly.

To Draco's surprise Hermione had fallen asleep too, and even though he had slept around three hours he was not tired at all, at least not yet, so he reread the summary they had finished just a few hours before.

Their homework was flawless, not a single grammar mistake, all the important facts were remarked, the writing was even; no matter she had been writing for 6 straight hours.

These were the facts that made Draco admire Hermione greatly but also that were the facts that made him extremely jealous because he knew he would never be such a great student as she was.

Finally five minutes before the end of the class Snape arrived. "I was in a meeting with the headmaster" he said sharply as he walked towards his desk. "Put your homeworks on my desk and you can leave" he said rather coldly to the sleep-deprived class. Draco barely had to give a step to turn in their homework; that was how close they were from Snape's desk.

Hermione had been awoken by Snape's voice, but she barely lifted her head up she was very tired, with a blurred vision she saw Draco turn in their homework, and she didn't know if she was still dreaming or if it actually happened but she could have sworn that Draco had smiled at her a few seconds after he turned it in. But true or not, she only wanted to go to her dorm and catch some sleep, so she lazily got up and dragged her backpack to where Harry and Ron were. Ron was ranting loudly on how Snape could've said that he was going to be late and how that could've ended in a much needed extra hour sleep.

"Yeah well nothing we can do about that now" said Harry as Hermione joined them still cleaning the floor with her backpack, Ron immediately took it for her and put it on his left shoulder.

"Boy you look tired; at what hour did you go to sleep?" said Ron to Hermione, who had her eyes closed, "Late" said Hermione as she unconsciously laid her head on Ron's right shoulder.

"Well let's have breakfast with a very strong coffee so you wake up" said Harry very matter of factly

"No" mumbled Hermione "I just want to go to bed for a while, but I don't think I can't make it there" said Hermione still not opening her eyes.

Ron laughed "Come on" he said, as he grabbed her by the waist to sustain her as she gave little blind steps. And that's how the three of them left and walked down the hall, with Hermione leaning on Ron almost completely and with Ron holding her tight against him… And someone was watching them, and was not very happy by this scene.


	10. Chapter 10

**Words, Disappointing Words**

Somehow seeing Hermione so close to Ron was making Draco's body fill with a complete unknown fury, he just wanted to go and throw Ron through the nearest window and take Hermione into his arms. Although he was infuriated with her to, she was in the arms of that weasel, how could she!

He was having problems breathing, his face was bright red, his heart was beating extremely fast. He leaned on the nearest wall and took a couple of deep breathes. Why was he so upset? It was just the weasel holding the mud-blood, wasn't it? Then why was he feeling this anger? He sighed and nodded, deep inside he knew why, he laughed quietly, how had that happened? Lucky the hall was empty or else he would've had some serious explaining to do. Finally after a few minutes he

started walking towards Slytherin's common room.

"No Dean you promised me!" was saying Ginny when Harry entered, followed by Ron who was still holding Hermione. Harry stopped so abruptly that Ron almost crashed with him.

"Are we interrupting something?" said Harry frowning as he looked from Ginny to Dean back and forth.

"No" said Dean and he quickly made his way out of the common room. Ginny's jaw dropped, her face was turning even redder, she was clearly infuriated, still Harry had the nerve to ask her "Is everything ok?"

"Everything is just wonderful, doesn't it show?" answered Ginny bitterly and she made her way out of the common room too. Ron and Harry looked at each other for a few seconds, and then Ron proceeded to walk Hermione to the girls' dorm stairs.

"You'll have to make it on your own from here" said Ron to Hermione "We're not allowed into the girls' dorms remember"

"Right" mumbled Hermione, who even though was not entirely asleep she was numb enough not to know if Ginny's words had been for real or just a weird dream.

After Ron lost her of sight, he and Harry went to the Great Hall to have breakfast. Harry didn't eat much he was worried about Ginny, he constantly looked around to see if she had arrived for breakfast but she never did. And he didn't run into her later in the day.

The next day, Hermione, who had had a very good night sleep, arrived very cheerful to Potion's class.

"Hi" said Hermione briskly to Draco. He answered her with a disdainful look, a type of look he hadn't directed her for many months now. "Is something wrong?" she asked frowning

"How could you?" Draco said very coldly "He has a girlfriend!" he continued in a scolding tone. Hermione was getting angry, she really didn't like his attitude plus she didn't know what the heck he was talking about.

"What are you talking about?" she answered in the same tone Draco was using to address her.

"The weasel, you threw yourself to him yesterday" said Draco bitterly

"What?" answered Hermione sounding deeply offended.

"Oh come on, don't act as if you didn't know what I'm talking about"

"I don't know what you are talking about!" Interrupted Hermione in an angry tone.

"After potions class you left in his arms!" Draco was unable to hide his jealousy

"I didn't leave in his arms" answered Hermione very quickly "I was very tired, I…" she paused she didn't know how to describe the situation "he just helped me"

"Oh really let's see what Padma has to say about it, I already…"

"There was nothing wrong about it, it was just a friend helping another friend" interrupted Hermione desesperately.

"Don't try to explain yourself, after all you are just a mudblood, not much can be expected from you"

Hermione's jaw hit the ground her face was bright red and tears of anger were menacing to flow down her cheeks. She couldn't believe her ears, he couldn't have said those words. She was staring at him with a mix of anger and deception.

Snape's cold welcome to the class broke the moment. She turned away and looked to the blackboard at the same time as she took a deep breath to calm herself, she was not going to let him see her broken down because of him, that would never happen. So she just took out a couple of parchments, her inkpen and pretended to be calmed and well, as if it was just any other day but the truth was she didn't hear a word Snape said, and copied from the blackboard just for the sake of doing it, because her head was full of questions. Had it been wrong what had happened the day before? But even if it was, who was Draco to judge her? He was a death-eater? His words had no meaning, or should have no meaning, because she was hurt, as hurt as if those words had come from Ron's mouth. She was literally loosing her mind, and wanted to run out, to escape, not to be forced to sit a few inches away from Draco, that death-eater, that had just insulted her, she couldn't explain with words what he had made her feel when he had said those words.

Finally, an eternity later, the class was over, by then Draco was remorseful of his words, he knew he had really crossed the line and that what he had said to her had been completely uncalled for, and wanted to make it right, so as they packed their things he tried to talk to her.

"Hermione I'm really, really sorry" he started sounding apologetically "I"

"Don't even try" interrupted Hermione harshly as she looked up "you and your words are worth nothing" and she grabbed her backpack and walked out without looking behind. Now they were equally hurt by each other.

**The Break Up**

"I have to go to the library" said Hermione hurriedly to Harry and Ron when they were outside Snape's dungeon "See you after lunch."

And she rushed down the stairs, she wanted to escape. Her head was a mix of confusion, anger and disappointed. But the library was no place to vent so she went to the Gryffindor common room.

By the time she reached the common room anger had won over the two other feelings. She dropped her backpack with such force that the sound was heard at least three floors below.

"How could he do this to me? How dare he judge me? After all he has done!" Hermione was pacing up and down the common room giving her back to the fire with a very red face and tears threatening to roll down her face "He doesn't even know me, he…"

"Hermione are you all right?" said a scared voice behind her.

Hermione jumped in surprise, she had been so mad when she had reached the common room that she had failed to check that it was actually empty. Hermione turned to find a frowning and very frightened Ginny, it took her a few seconds to react to the whole situation.

"Hermione what…" started Ginny truly concerned, she had never seen Hermione loose her temper like that.

"I…" interrupted Hermione although she wasn't sure what she was going to say "Well the thing is…" she was stammering, but suddenly her nervous talk stopped, she had moved in closer and seen a verge-to-tears Ginny "Ginny are you all right?" now it was Hermione's turn to be concerned. She took a sit beside her in front of the fire

"What's wrong?" insisted Hermione as Ginny did not answered

"Dean" said Ginny quietly "He… he broke up with me" continued Ginny looking away from Hermione. "Yesterday after you guys came into the common room" Hermione now knew she had not dreamt that part "I went after him, to reclaim him for walking out on me and he just said…" a tear fell down Ginny's cheek "We have to break up, you don't like the way I treat you and I don't know any other way" Ginny's voice was slow but even and she was staring at the fire.

"Well…" started Hermione she didn't know how to tell her he was right "you didn't like the way he treated you, and you were actually thinking of breaking up with him, remember"

"Yes I know" said Ginny looking again at Hermione "but I didn't want to, I mean he's an amazing guy and even though I don't love him like I love…" Ginny stopped, she didn't dare say his name even though they both knew exactly who she was talking about "I liked him very much and I didn't want it to end" said Ginny who was now crying very quietly, Hermione hugged her.

A couple of minutes later, Ginny felt really embarrassed of her attitude, and disengaged herself from Hermione as she tried to smile.

"But enough about me" she said in an attempt of cheerful voice and removing the tears of her face.

"What's wrong with you?" she said seriously and looking directly into Hermione's eyes.

"It's nothing" said Hermione as she stood up and gave her back to Ginny.

"Nothing? You stamp your backpack on the floor for nothing?" said Ginny raising her voice "Is it my brother?" added Ginny, she couldn't imagine of anyone else capable of making her react like that "What did he do now?" she said sounding already mad at Ron.

"No it's not Ron" said Hermione with a small laughter, however the smile on her face faded pretty quickly it was now that it hit her, she had been upset by someone that was not Ron or Harry or any member of the Weasley family but by a death eater's son like Draco. His words should've meant nothing and yet they had hurt as if Ron had said them. What had happened? How had it…

"Then?"

Ginny brought Hermione out of her thoughts

"I" she started, she would've to tell the truth since she couldn't find a lie good enough to explain her anger "had a fight with Draco" said Hermione lowering her voice as she mentioned his name.

"Just that… I thought it was something really serious" said Ginny sounding relieved. "It's just Draco" she said standing up and joining her.

Hermione forced a laughter "You are right… it's just Draco" she said nodding her head slightly "Just him, just Draco" she mumbled to herself.

"You said something?" asked Ginny

"Huh" said Hermione who seem to keep forgetting that Ginny was there "yes, I was saying we should go downstairs and have some ice-cream, some sugar might help you" she said. Ginny smirked and nodded.

And they walked out of the common room, Hermione was deep in her thoughts, why was she so upset by Draco's words? As Ginny had said it was just Draco and she was right, she was completely right.

A shiver filled her body as she thought of what would've happened if Ginny had been more curious on the subject, how would she explain she had befriend Harry's worst enemy and that to her horror she was starting to have… no she couldn't even dare to think about it, it was much to scary to think that she was…

"No, no way" she said to herself, fortunately Ginny was out of earshot or she would've had some explaining to do.

**In the library**

The next day Hermione was deliberately five minutes late to her 7 am potion class, she knew that it would cost Gryffindor 5 points but it would cost her a lot more to arrive early and being forced to sit next to Draco without a class going on, but to Hermione's horror when she arrived Snape was not there yet and she had to sit next to Draco who had been anxiously waiting for her. He was determined to talk to her, about yesterday, about the day before, about his… about everything.

"Hermione we need to talk" he said firmly as soon as she sat down. Hermione didn't even bother to look at him, but Draco wasn't taken aback by this, he had expected it.

"Perhaps at lunch… maybe" said Draco expectantly, but Hermione pretended not to listen to him and took out her Potions book and pretended to be studying.

"Don't act as if you aren't listening to me!" said Draco starting to exasperate "You know all that by heart so stop pretending!" he said raising his voice

"I'll pretend like I didn't hear that Mr Malfoy" said Snape's cold voice. "Now quiet or you'll find yourself in detention" continued Snape as he gave him a harsh look.

"Yes sir" said Draco quietly. And he did not attempt to disobey his order, he knew that the last thing he needed was more trouble, however at the end the class he continued.

"Hermione we have to talk its important and you know it" said Draco with an intent look at her and a hard tone, in the meanwhile Hermione was packing her things and didn't even look up at the sound of his voice, she was acting as if she was alone.

A few instants later they were joined by Ron who, from the distance, had sensed the tension between Hermione and Draco.

"Is everything all right?" he asked Hermione without looking at Draco

"Yes" she answered quietly as she closed her backpack. "Let's go, we are going to be late for Transfiguration" and she left followed by Ron.

But Draco knew where to find her; he had grown to know her so well that he knew where she would be that night. So at 9 o'clock he entered the library and found her sitting, reading in the exact same spot where he had once shut "The Giants Rebellions" in her face. He sat beside her, Hermione meant to stand up but Draco was quicker than her and grabbed her hand to stop her, Hermione was shocked and did not move instead she stared at their entwined hands

"Hermione I" started Draco "I'm very sorry about yesterday but…" he paused for a few seconds getting the words out was difficult, Hermione had switched from their hands to his face, however he did not look at her he didn't have the nerve "I didn't mean what I said yesterday, the thing is when that weasel held you I…" he paused again it was so hard to admit the way he felt. Hermione was breathing very rapidly was he about to say what she thought he was going to say? Suddenly an urge to kiss him arose in her, his lips were so near she just had to… but, but he was the son of a death eater, Harry's worst enemy, the boy that had tried to his best to make her life a living hell. "I was" continued Draco, he was determined to say it this time "so j…" but he didn't get to finish his sentence as Hermione had kissed him, she had not fought the impulse and had not fought the impulse either of running out of the place afterwards… what had she just done?


End file.
